The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Mathematics in the Natural Sciences is the title of an article published in 1960 by the physicist Eugene Wigner. In the paper, Wigner observed that the mathematical structure of a physics theory often points the way to further advances in that theory and even to empirical predictions, and argued that this is not just a coincidence and therefore must reflect some larger and deeper truth about both mathematics and physics.
Read more about The Unreasonable Effectiveness Of Mathematics In The Natural Sciences: The Miracle of Mathematics in The Natural Sciences, The Deep Connection Between Science and Mathematics, Responses To Wigner's Original Paper, Related Quotes
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