Winning the prize wasn't half as exciting as doing the work itself.
Maria Goeppert-MayerRead
Mathematics began to seem too much like puzzle solving. Physics is puzzle solving, too, but of puzzles created by nature, not by the mind of man.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Mathematics is seen as an artificial puzzle, while physics deals with natural puzzles.
Maria Goeppert-Mayer distinguishes between the fields of mathematics and physics by emphasizing that mathematics is often perceived as the solving of abstract puzzles created by human intellect, while physics involves solving puzzles devised by the natural world. This highlights the inherent difference in the nature of problems each discipline addresses, illustrating that while both require analytical thinking, the source of the puzzles differs significantly.
Themes
MathematicsPhysicsPuzzle SolvingNatureScience
In practice
Example use cases
In a lecture on the differences between theoretical and applied sciences.
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