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Richard Hamming

Richard Hamming Quotes

Mathematician

Richard Hamming was an American mathematician and information theorist, born on February 11, 1915, in Omaha, Nebraska, and passed away on January 7, 1998. He is known as the 'Father of the Information Age'. Hamming made significant contributions to mathematics, information theory, and computer science, particularly in the field of coding theory, which has had a profound impact on the development of modern communication technology.

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All Science Ifs Problem Thinking Scientist Knows Mathematics Way Important People Persons Believe Computer Learning Said Doe Doors Example Great Scientist Hard Work

Famous Richard Hamming Quotes

“If you have the door to your office closed, you get more work done today and tomorrow, and you are more productive than most. But ten years later somehow, you dont quite know what problems are worth working on.”

Ifs Knows Years Done Problem Today Doors Tomorrow Ten Office Productive Work Done Today And Tomorrow

Author:Richard Hamming

“If you don't work on important problems, it's not likely that you'll do important work.”

Ifs Important Problem Hard Work Important Work

Author:Richard Hamming

“Most people like to believe something is or is not true. Great scientists tolerate ambiguity very well. They believe the theory enough to go ahead; they doubt it enough to notice the errors and faults so they can step forward and create the new replacement theory. If you believe too much you'll never notice the flaws; if you doubt too much you won't get started. It requires a lovely balance.”

“Put glibly: In science if you know what you are doing you should not be doing it. In engineering if you do not know what you are doing you should not be doing it. Of course, you seldom, if ever, see either pure state.”

Ifs Knows Should States Science Courses Pure Accounts Engineering Doing You

Author:Richard Hamming

“It may be said "In research, if you know what you are doing, then you shouldn't be doing it." In a sense, if the answer turns out to be exactly what you expected, then you have learned nothing new, although you may have had your confidence increased somewhat.”

Ifs Knows May Said Science Turns Answers Knowledge Learning Research Expected Nothing New

Book:Numerical Methods for Scientists and Engineers

Source: Numerical Methods for Scientists and Engineers

“One of the characteristics of successful scientists is having courage. Once you get your courage up and believe that you can do important problems, then you can. If you think you can't, almost surely you are not going to.”

Ifs Thinking Believe Important Problem Success Can Do Successful Scientist Characteristics

Author:Richard Hamming

“Does anyone believe that the difference between the Lebesgue and Riemann integrals can have physical significance, and that whether say, an airplane would or would not fly could depend on this difference? If such were claimed, I should not care to fly in that plane.”

Ifs Should Believe Doe Care Belief Differences Depends Mathematics Math Mathematical Planes Significance Statistics Airplane Riemann

Author:Richard Hamming

“If the prior distribution, at which I am frankly guessing, has little or no effect on the result, then why bother; and if it has a large effect, then since I do not know what I am doing how would I dare act on the conclusions drawn?”

Ifs Knows Littles Results Effects Dare Conclusion Bother Distribution Guessing Why Bother

Author:Richard Hamming

“Newton said, "If I have seen further than others, it is because I've stood on the shoulders of giants." These days we stand on each other's feet!”

Ifs Said Science Feet Shoulders These Days Giants Newton Quip

Author:Richard Hamming

About the Author

Born: February 11, 1915
Died: January 7, 1998
Known for: Mathematician
Quotes: 42

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Books & Sources

Numerical Methods for Scientists and EngineersRelated source material

The Art of Doing Science and Engineering: Learning to LearnRelated source material

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