Jean le Rond d’Alembert - Collected Quotes

"Day by day natural science accumulates new riches […] The true system of the World has been recognized, developed and perfected […] Everything has been discussed and analyzed, or at least mentioned.” (Jean le Rond d’Alembert, "Elements of Philosophy", 1759)

"One must admit that it is not a simple matter to accurately outline the idea of negative numbers, and that some capable people have added to the confusion by their inexact pronouncements. To say that the negative numbers are below nothing is to assert an unimaginable thing.” (Jean le Rond d'Alembert, "Negatif”, Encyclopédie [1751 – 1772])

"[…] the algebraic rules of operation with negative numbers are generally admitted by everyone and acknowledged as exact, whatever idea we may have about this quantities. " (Jean le Rond d'Alembert, Encyclopédie, [1751 – 1772])

"Thus, metaphysics and mathematics are, among all the sciences that belong to reason, those in which imagination has the greatest role.” (Jean le Rond d'Alembert, Encyclopédie, [1751 – 1772])

"Geometrical truths are in a way asymptotes to physical truths, that is to say, the latter approach the former indefinitely near without ever reaching them exactly.” (Jean le Rond d’Alembert)

"The imagination in a mathematician who creates makes no less difference than in a poet who invents […]." (Jean le Rond d'Alembert, Encyclopedie, [1751 – 1772])

"To someone who could grasp the universe from one unified viewpoint, the entire creation would appear as a unique fact and a great truth.” (Jean le Rond d'Alembert)

"We shall content ourselves with the remark that if mathematics (as is asserted with sufficient reason) only make straight the minds which are without bias, so they only dry up and chill the minds already prepared for this operation by nature.” (Jean le Rond d'Alembert)