The aesthetic viewpoint in mathematics (Q1084386)

This is a lightly edited translation of an inaugural lecture delivered in 1930 at Erlangen. Its aim is to explain the importance of an aesthetic viewpoint in mathematics to non-mathematicians. Starting with ornaments, spirals and transformation groups the author argues that aesthetic considerations are not only an effect of mathematical work but also a driving force, besides the striving for certainty. As an example he mentions ideal theory, emerging from algebraic number theory, and the seeking for aesthetic presentation of results by R. Dedekind. The dichotomy concrete-abstract is viewed as a matter of taste, the aesthetic viewpoint is associated with the abstract position.