From you I also learned how to talk politics without endangering friendship. You taught me that if we disagree about some conclusions we should go back and examine our beliefs about the underlying facts. You acknowledged that if you believed in my version of the facts then you would share my conclusions, and you persuaded me that if I believed in your version of the facts then I would share your conclusions. It was a kind of mathematical approach, an agreement about the proofs, whatever the hypotheses and theorems. It was a lesson that has served me well throughout my life.
Sir Christopher Zeeman, to Peter Hilton, quoted in "Peter Hilton: Codebreaker and Mathematician" (1923 - 2010), Jean Pedersen (Editor), Notices of the American Mathematical Society, Vol. 58, No. 11, p. 1539.
1740
 
Euclid ruined mathematics by introducing that pernicious axiomatic method and making mathematics deduction-centric. But for thousands of years before Euclid, mathematics has been pursued empirically and experimentally and was induction-centric.
Doron Zeilberger, from "An Enquiry Concerning Human (and computer!) [Mathematical] Understanding"
1750
 
Regardless of whether or not God exists, God has no place in mathematics, at least not in my book. My God does not know (or care) whether a program halts or not. So Omega does not exist in my ultra-finitistic world-view. But, it does indeed exist as a symbol, and as a lovely metaphor, so like enlightened 'non-fundamentalist' religious folks, we can still enjoy and believe in the bible, even without taking it literally. I can still love and cherish and adore Chaitin's constant, Omega, the same way I enjoy Adam and Eve, or Harry Potter, and who cares whether they are 'real' or 'fictional'.
Doron Zeilberger, from "An Enquiry Concerning Human (and computer!) [Mathematical] Understanding"
1696
 
I strongly believe that very soon most of serious mathematics will be computer-generated, and all the rest would be computer-assisted, so we do need to develop quality-control to maximize the chances that the computer-generated proofs are indeed valid.
Doron Zeilberger, from An Enquiry Concerning Human (and Computer!) [Mathematical] Understanding.
1342
 
Civil disobedience is not our problem. Our problem is civil obedience. Our problem is that people all over the world have obeyed the dictates of leaders...and millions have been killed because of this obedience...Our problem is that people are obedient all over the world in the face of poverty and starvation and stupidity, and war, and cruelty. Our problem is that people are obedient while the jails are full of petty thieves... (and) the grand thieves are running the country. That's our problem.
Howard Zinn,
1791
 
There is no flag large enough to cover the shame of killing innocent people.
Howard Zinn,
1790
 
To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness.
What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places--and there are so many--where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction.
And if we do act, in however small a way, we don't have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory.
Howard Zinn,
1731
 
If you don't know history, it is as if you were born yesterday.
Howard Zinn,
1712
 
Concentrate only on the achievements, and ignore the mistakes. When judging a mathematician you should only integrate f+ and ignore the negative part. Perhaps this should apply more generally to all evaluations of your fellow men.
A. Zygmund,
427
 
Mathematics and art are quite different. We could not publish so many papers that used, repeatedly, the same idea and still command the respect of our colleagues.
A. Zygmund,
426
 

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