If one were to bring ten of the wisest men in the world together and ask them what was the most stupid thing in existence, they would not be able to discover anything so stupid as astrology.

David Hilbert

Mathematical science is in my opinion an indivisible whole, an organism whose vitality is conditioned upon the connection of its parts.

David Hilbert

I didn’t work especially hard at mathematics at school, because I knew that’s what I’d be doing later.

David Hilbert

The art of doing mathematics consists in finding that special case which contains all the germs of generality.

David Hilbert

May the new century bring with it ingenious champions and many zealous and enthusiastic disciples.

David Hilbert

We must not believe those who today, with philosophical bearing and superior tone, prophesy the decline of culture and accept the ignorabimus principle.

David Hilbert

Mathematics knows no races or geographic boundaries; for mathematics, the cultural world is one country.

David Hilbert