An Ode to Euler

Leonhard Euler (1707–1783) was a Swiss-born polymath whose prolific output reshaped mathematics and physics. Despite going blind later in life, Euler’s memory and mental agility remained legendary. He continued to produce groundbreaking work at a remarkable pace, dictating complex papers entirely from memory. Few in history have matched his impact or productivity — his legacy spans fundamental contributions to calculus, number theory, mechanics, astronomy, and more. Euler was known for his deep humility, devout faith, and remarkably kind nature -– he even engaged in theological debates and wrote about the harmony between faith and reason. 

So here is my ode to Euler.

How?

How did you do it?

How did you see things the rest of us could not?

It’s as if after going blind you could see even more!

Are you able to explain what it was like to stroll through other dimensions while still living amongst the rest of us mere mortals?

You may not know this but for the last few decades there has been this thing called “string theory”. Everyone insists that it will be the “Theory of Everything”. But we have no observational or experimental evidence of it whatsoever. And there are many other such theories. 

Also, apparently 95% of the mass-energy of the universe is stuff we can’t observe. They call it “dark matter and dark energy”.

We’ve been stuck forcing the same things – building bigger telescopes, bigger machines. Everything bigger.

I have this picture in my mind of you and my two other heroes - Ramanujan and Aryabhata - sitting in the back of the classroom giggling as the rest of us fumble around trying to figure things out. And maybe more importantly, wanting to be the one who figures it out. So much pride and ego. But you preferred discussion, sharing, and pondering divinity.

You’d giggle because the answer is probably staring us all in the face, but we’re too stubborn to look towards.

Or maybe you’d be giggling because for some silly reason we think we can figure it all out!

Anyway, for so many years you were just another name attached to different theorems, equations, etc. But I’m so glad I’ve gotten to know you. 

You know, historians often say that you had a very calm demeanor that contrasted with the fiery personalities of your contemporaries. 

Maybe that’s a sign of a true sage. You saw what we can’t and you felt compassion for us. Not because you thought you were better, but because you saw something much bigger going on.

Thanks, Lenny! 🙂