This works until you consider that half of the birds are cock birds and I don't know if it still rings true that
A cock in the hand is worth two in the bush.[/quote]
The lack of real contact between mathematics and biology is either a tragedy, a scandal or a challenge, it is hard to decide which. (Gian-Carlo Rota, 'Discrete Thoughts')
It is natural to think that an abstract science cannot be of much importance in affairs of human life, because it has omitted from its consideration everything of real interest. (A.N. Whitehead)
Mathematics is purely hypothetical: it produces nothing but conditional propositions. (C.S. Pierce)