---
title: "A mathematical formula should never be 'owned' by anybody! Mathematic… — Donald Knuth Quote #7 | QuotesBy.net"
description: "A mathematical formula should never be 'owned' by anybody! Mathematics belong to God. — a quote by Donald Knuth."
image: "https://quotesby.net/wp-content/themes/quotesby-editorial/assets/og-default.png"
---

> # A mathematical formula should never be 'owned' by anybody! Mathematics belong to God.

[Donald Knuth](https://quotesby.net/Donald-Knuth)\#7

[Knowledge](https://quotesby.net/topics/knowledge/)[Mathematics](https://quotesby.net/topics/mathematics/)[Ownership](https://quotesby.net/topics/ownership/)[Sharing](https://quotesby.net/topics/sharing/)[Truth](https://quotesby.net/topics/truth/)

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## About this quote

What does it mean?Mathematical truths belong to everyone, not individuals.In plain termsMath belongs to everyone.What can you take from it?Share mathematical knowledge freely.

### Where it applies

- education
- collaboration
- publishing

### Putting it to work

- open access
- sharing credit
- publication

### Questions to consider

- Who owns knowledge?
- Why do you own your ideas?

### Another view

Modern IP laws often restrict this ideal.

## More from Donald Knuth

1. > Science is what we understand well enough to explain to a computer. Art is everything else we do.

[Permalink to quote \#6](https://quotesby.net/Donald-Knuth/6/ "Permalink to quote 6")
2. > I define UNIX as 30 definitions of regular expressions living under one roof.

[Permalink to quote \#8](https://quotesby.net/Donald-Knuth/8/ "Permalink to quote 8")
3. > The important thing, once you have enough to eat and a nice house, is what you can do for others, what you can contribute to the enterprise as a whole.

[Permalink to quote \#5](https://quotesby.net/Donald-Knuth/5/ "Permalink to quote 5")

## Related quotes

1. > I often say that when you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when you cannot express it in nu…

[William Thomson](https://quotesby.net/William-Thomson)[William Thomson quote \#1](https://quotesby.net/William-Thomson/1/ "Permalink to quote 1")
2. > Das hochste Leben ist Mathematik.

[Novalis](https://quotesby.net/Novalis)[Novalis quote \#26](https://quotesby.net/Novalis/26/ "Permalink to quote 26")
3. > One reason why mathematics enjoys special esteem, above all other sciences, is that its laws are absolutely certain and indisputable, while those of other scie…

[Albert Einstein](https://quotesby.net/Albert-Einstein)[Albert Einstein quote \#160](https://quotesby.net/Albert-Einstein/160/ "Permalink to quote 160")

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