An introduction to mathematics, by A. N. Whitehead.

10 INTRODUCTION TO MATHEMATICS
abstract science cannot be of much importance in the affairs of human life, because it
has omitted from its consideration everything of real interest. It will be remembered
that Swift, in his description of Gulliver's
voyage to Laputa, is of two minds on this
point. He describes the mathematicians of
that country as silly and useless dreamers,
whose attention has to be awakened by
flappers. Also, the mathematical tailor
measures his height by a quadrant, and deduces his other dimensions by a rule and
compasses, producing a suit of very illfitting clothes. On the other hand, the
mathematicians of Laputa, by their marvellous invention of the magnetic island floating
in the air, ruled the country and maintained
their ascendency over their subjects. Swift,
indeed, lived at a time peculiarly unsuited
for gibes at contemporary mathematicians.
Newton's Principia had just been written,
one of the great forces which have transformed the modern world. Swift might just
as well have laughed at an earthquake.
But a mere list of the achievements of
mathematics is an unsatisfactory way of
arriving at an idea of its importance. It
is worth while to spend a little thought in
getting at the root reason why mathematics,
because of its very abstractness, must always
remain one of the most important topics