Quotessence
Home / Quotes / Quote by John von Neumann

Quote by John von Neumann

Author

John von Neumann
John von Neumann

John von Neumann (December 28, 1903 – February 8, 1957) was a Hungarian-American mathematician, physicist, computer scientist, and polymath. He made groundbreaking contributions to mathematics, quantum mechanics, game theory, computer science, and economics. Von Neumann is one of the founders of modern computer architecture (the von Neumann architecture) and a key figure in the development of game theory and linear programming. He participated in the Manhattan Project, contributing to the atomic bomb, and proposed the theory of nuclear deterrence. Known for his extraordinary memory and rapid thinking, he was often called one of the 'Martians.' His work profoundly shaped 20th-century science and technology. more

You May Also Like

“History has shown that there are very few mechanisms as effective at maintaining the status quo as a set of institutionalized regulations. Once set in regulatory concrete, reconsideration of the basic underlying assumptions is very difficult. While it will be an uphill fight to re-examine the basic underlying assumptions of any law or administrative rule, it is clearly not impossible. It will just take longer than if not so well institutionalized.”

“If any issue should unite liberals and conservatives, anyone who cares about the integrity of human achievement or respect for human accomplishment, may we not all pledge to avoid the silly censoring that can lead to a codification of Orwell's Newspeak? Consider John Milton's reasons for why good arguments are often lost: 'For want of words, no doubt, or lack of breath!'”

“The DEFENSE of anything is UNTENABLE. The only way to defend anything is to ATTACK, and if you ever forget that, then you will lose every battle you are ever engaged in, whether it is in terms of personal conversation, public debate, or a court of law. NEVER BE INTERESTED IN CHARGES. DO, yourself, much MORE CHARGING, and you will WIN.”