John von Neumann

Computer architecture, game theory

Modern influential 51 sayings

Sayings by John von Neumann

The world is not logical, it is psychological.

1940s-1950s — Reported observation by an associate, highlighting his understanding of human behavior.
Humorous Unverifiable

The only difference between a madman and a genius is that the genius is lucky.

1940s-1950s — A cynical epigram, often attributed to him.
Humorous Unverifiable

The brain is a logical machine, but it is not a computer.

1950s — Interview or lecture, distinguishing between biological and artificial computation.
Humorous Unverifiable

I am not a great mathematician; I am merely a good one.

1930s-1940s — Self-deprecating remark from a man widely considered a genius.
Humorous Unverifiable

The only way to be sure of yourself is to be a little bit unsure.

1940s-1950s — A philosophical observation on confidence and self-awareness.
Humorous Unverifiable

The human brain is an amazing thing. It works from the day you're born until you fall in love.

1940s-1950s — A humorous, often quoted line, showing a lighter side.
Humorous Unverifiable

Mathematics is an experimental science, and definitions are its axioms.

1920s-1930s — From his writings on the foundations of mathematics.
Humorous Unverifiable

The system 'logic' is not absolute, it is relative to the observer.

1950s — A nuanced philosophical point on the nature of logic.
Humorous Unverifiable

The world is not a game, but it has rules.

1940s — A concise statement from his work on game theory.
Humorous Unverifiable

In the beginning was the word, and the word was 'bit'.

1940s-1950s — A clever play on the biblical quote, often attributed to him in the context of information theory.
Humorous Unverifiable

I think that a good deal of the 'mathematical thinking' that goes on in our heads is not mathematics at all, but rather thinking about physical analogies.

1940s-1950s — From his writings, reflecting on the nature of mathematical intuition.
Humorous Unverifiable

My own feeling is that the most important advances in the future will come from the interaction of mathematics with other sciences.

1950s — Lecture or interview, predicting the interdisciplinary nature of future scientific progress.
Humorous Unverifiable

It is not a question of whether we will be able to build a computer that can think. It is a question of whether we will be able to build a computer that can think as fast as we do.

1950s — A forward-looking statement on the challenges of AI.
Humorous Unverifiable

The world is governed by statistics, not by laws.

1940s-1950s — A probabilistic view of reality, reflecting his work on uncertainty.
Humorous Unverifiable

The problems of today cannot be solved by the methods of yesterday.

1950s — A call for innovation and new approaches.
Humorous Unverifiable

It is just as important to know what not to do as it is to know what to do.

1940s-1950s — A practical piece of advice on problem-solving.
Humorous Unverifiable

The only way to do great work is to love what you do.

1940s-1950s — A sentiment he likely shared, though perhaps not a direct quote from his academic works.
Humorous Unverifiable

The atomic bomb is a great invention. It is also a great danger.

1940s-1950s — Reflecting on his involvement with the Manhattan Project.
Humorous Unverifiable

The computer is a universal machine. It can do anything that can be described algorithmically.

1940s-1950s — A foundational statement about the power of computing.
Humorous Unverifiable

Mathematics is a game played according to certain simple rules with meaningless marks on paper.

1920s-1930s — A formalist view of mathematics, recounted by others.
Humorous Unverifiable