Although the prime numbers are rigidly determined, they somehow feel like experimental data.

This attitude [the abstract method in mathematics] can be encapsulated in the following slogan: a mathematical object is what it does.

It is obvious that mathematics needs both sorts of mathematicians, theory-builders and problem-solvers.

... the atlas is a manifold. This is a typical mathematician's use of the word "is", and should not be confused with the normal use.

Here is something Category-Theorists like: it is trivial, but not trivially trivial.

My first meditation teacher told me that there is no such thing as a bad meditation. He was right. During the difficult meditations you build up your strength, which creates meditation for peace.

Normal is a bitter pill that we rail against.

You may suppress natural propensities by force, but they will be certain to re-appear.

That's why we had Louis C.K. portray the harder line Communist, to accuse [Dalton] Trumbo of being a hypocrite.

Each thing implies the universe.

I thought of America as this crazy, happy, exciting place where everybody's rich and there's stuff everywhere. Compared to Pakistan, it's not untrue.

Crime is contagious....if the government becomes a lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for the law.

Death is mighty, and is no one's friend.

Vital to quality of life is the ability to work together, learn from each other, and help each other grow.

When it comes to literal nourishment, the food we eat, life begets life.