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Quote by Donald Knuth

“I can't be as confident about computer science as I can about biology. Biology easily has 500 years of exciting problems to work on. It's at that level.”

Quote by Donald Knuth

Author

Donald Knuth, born on January 10, 1938, is a renowned computer scientist. He has made significant contributions to the field of computer science, particularly in algorithm analysis and programming language design. Knuth is known for his profound understanding and innovative thinking in computer science, with his most famous work being the 'The Art of Computer Programming' series. more

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“In fact, my main conclusion after spending ten years of my life working on the TEX project is that software is hard. It's harder than anything else I've ever had to do.”

Years Hard Facts Ten Projects Harder Spending Conclusion Software

Author:Donald Knuth

“If you find that you're spending almost all your time on theory, start turning some attention to practical things; it will improve your theories. If you find that you're spending almost all your time on practice, start turning some attention to theoretical things; it will improve your practice.”

Ifs Attention Practice Theory Spending Practicals Theoretical Practical Things

Author:Donald Knuth

“Trees sprout up just about everywhere in computer science.”

Tree Computer Computer Science Sprouts

Book:Art of Computer Programming, Volume 4, Fascicle 4,The: Generating All Trees--History of Combinatorial Generation

Source: Art of Computer Programming, Volume 4, Fascicle 4,The: Generating All Trees--History of Combinatorial Generation

“For his major contributions to the analysis of algorithms and the design of programming languages, and in particular for his contributions to the "art of computer programming" through his well-known books in a continuous series by this title.”

Wells Art Book Language Known Design Particular Computer Majors Series Titles Analysis Contribution Programming Well Known Computer Programming Programming Languages Algorithms

Author:Donald Knuth

“If we are uncritical we shall always find what we want: we shall look for, and find, confirmations, and we shall look away from, and not see, whatever might be dangerous to our pet theories. In this way it is only too easy to obtain what appears to be overwhelming evidence in favor of a theory which, if approached critically, would have been refuted.”

Ifs Way Want Looks Has Beens Might Easy Dangerous Theory Evidence Favors Pet Overwhelming Confirmation Refutation

Book:The Poverty of Historicism

Source: The Poverty of Historicism

“Appealing to his [Einstein's] way of expressing himself in theological terms, I said: If God had wanted to put everything into the universe from the beginning, He would have created a universe without change, without organisms and evolution, and without man and man's experience of change. But he seems to have thought that a live universe with events unexpected even by Himself would be more interesting than a dead one.”

Ifs Men Way Said Seems Would Be Wanted Universe Term Interesting Events Evolution Unexpected Organisms Theological

Book:Unended Quest: An Intellectual Autobiography

Source: Unended Quest: An Intellectual Autobiography

“no matter how many instances of white swans we may have observed, this does not justify the conclusion that all swans are white.”

May Doe Matter White Conclusion Instance Justify Swans

Book:The Logic of Scientific Discovery

Source: The Logic of Scientific Discovery

“Bold ideas, unjustified anticipations, and speculative thought, are our only means for interpreting nature: our only organon, our only instrument, for grasping her. And we must hazard them to win our prize. Those among us who are unwilling to expose their ideas to the hazard of refutation do not take part in the scientific game.”

Mean Ideas Games Winning Instruments Prize Anticipation Unwilling Hazards Grasping Interpreting Refutation Unjustified

Book:The Logic of Scientific Discovery

Source: The Logic of Scientific Discovery

“The open society is one in which men have learned to be to some extent critical of taboos, and to base decisions on the authority of their own intelligence.”

Men Decision Authority Critical Taboo

Book:The Open Society and Its Enemies

Source: The Open Society and Its Enemies

“I do not overlook the fact that there are irrationalists who love mankind, and that not all forms of irrationalism engender criminality. But I hold that he who teaches that not reason but love should rule opens up the way for those who rule by hate. (Socrates, I believe, saw something of this when he suggested that mistrust or hatred of argument is related to mistrust or hatred of man).”

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Author:Karl Popper