Pure mathematics: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 11:11, 26 May 2006

Revision as of 17:55, 28 May 2006

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==Purism==

Mathematicians have always had differing opinions regarding the distinction between pure and applied mathematics.

One of the clearest modern examples of the debate between the subfields can be found in [[G.H. Hardy]]'s ''[[A Mathematician's Apology]]'', in which the author (a number theorist) attacks applied mathematics, calling it "ugly" and "dull", while comparing pure mathematics to [[painting]] and [[poetry]]. Hardy's love of number theory's apparent uselessness would be later proven unjustified by the development of [[public key cryptography]] and other advanced [[crytographiccryptographic]] methods which relied heavily on the field.

==Quotes==