Geometry, like arithmetic, requires for its logical development only a small number of simple, fundamental principles. These fundamental principles are called the axioms of geometry.

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

Sometimes it happens that a man's circle of horizon becomes smaller and smaller, and as the radius approaches zero it concentrates on one point. And then that becomes his point of view.

Mathematics is a game played according to certain simple rules with meaningless marks on paper.

Some people have got a mental horizon of radius zero and call it their point of view.

If I were to awaken after having slept for a thousand years, my first question would be: Has the Riemann hypothesis been proven?

Begin with the simplest examples.

For us there is no ignorabimus, and in my opinion none whatever in natural science. In opposition to the foolish ignorabimus our slogan shall be: "We must know - we will know!"

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.

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

Physics is becoming too difficult for the physicists.

But so often, things of great beauty are full of great corruption.

Heroes may not be braver than anyone else. They're just braver 5 minutes longer.

That's where humour lives for me. In the body. The Steve Martin kind of stuff or Jim Carrey, that's what I like. I've always felt that's what I would like to do.

People only go to the places they have visited first in their minds.

Obviously, for me, that person has got to have a beauty to them - and it's not always physical beauty. It's important that I love someone's character and that I click with it.

It's about the stories. If I write 14 stories that I love, then the next step is to get the environment of music around it to best envelop the story and all kinds of sonic goodness.

In order to acquire intellect one must need it. One loses it when it is no longer necessary.

What is indispensable to inspiration? ...sound sleep and the provocation of a good book or a companion.

Women really are not supposed to be imaginative. That creativity of this kind is supposed to belong to men. You know, because women make babies. I find the double standards shocking.

Most of my wardrobe is vintage, and I've worn dresses to the Oscars that I got for $10.