John von Neumann
John von Neumann
#### Full Name and Common Aliases
John von Neumann was born as János Lajos Neumann on December 28, 1903, in Budapest, Hungary. He is also known by his Hungarian name, Neumann János.
Birth and Death Dates
December 28, 1903 – February 8, 1957
Nationality and Profession(s)
Von Neumann was a Hungarian-American mathematician, physicist, computer scientist, engineer, economist, and polymath. He held dual citizenship of Hungary and the United States.
Early Life and Background
Born into a Jewish family in Budapest, von Neumann showed exceptional mathematical abilities from an early age. His father, Miksa Neumann, was a lawyer, while his mother, Margit Klein , came from a wealthy banking family. Von Neumann's talent for mathematics was nurtured by his parents, who encouraged him to pursue his passion.
He attended the Lutheran Gymnasium in Budapest and later enrolled at the University of Berlin, where he studied chemistry under the tutelage of Max Planck. However, von Neumann soon became interested in mathematics and physics, which led him to switch his focus. He received his Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Budapest in 1926.
Major Accomplishments
Von Neumann's contributions to various fields are numerous and groundbreaking:
Development of the concept of the universal Turing machine: Von Neumann proposed the idea that a computer could be designed as a single, self-contained unit with its own arithmetic logic unit (ALU) and memory.
Creation of the first operational electronic digital computer: Alongside his colleague Nathan Rochester, von Neumann designed the Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer (EDVAC), which laid the foundation for modern computing.
Advancements in game theory: Von Neumann's work on game theory, particularly in the book "Theory of Games and Economic Behavior" (co-authored with Oskar Morgenstern), introduced the concept of expected utility and revolutionized the field.Notable Works or Actions
Some notable works include:
"Mathematische Grundlagen der Quantenmechanik" (Mathematical Foundations of Quantum Mechanics) – a comprehensive textbook on quantum mechanics.
"The Computer and the Brain" – an essay exploring the potential of computers to simulate human thought.Impact and Legacy
Von Neumann's work had a profound impact on various fields, including computer science, mathematics, physics, and economics. His contributions:
Transformed computing: Von Neumann's ideas about the universal Turing machine and electronic digital computers paved the way for modern computing.
Influenced game theory: His work on game theory has been applied in various areas, such as economics, biology, and social sciences.Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
John von Neumann is widely quoted and remembered due to his:
Groundbreaking contributions to computer science, mathematics, physics, and economics.
Pioneering work in the development of electronic digital computers and game theory.
Visionary ideas about the potential of computers to simulate human thought.
His legacy continues to inspire new generations of scientists, mathematicians, and thinkers.
Quotes by John von Neumann
In this sense, an object is of the highest degree of complexity if it can do very difficult and involved things.
In any conceivable method ever invented by man, an automaton which produces an object by copying a pattern, will go first from the pattern to a description to the object. It first abstracts what the thing is like, and then carries it out. It’s therefore simpler not to extract from a real object its definition, but to start from the definition.
A large part of mathematics which becomes useful developed with absolutely no desire to be useful, and in a situation where nobody could possibly know in what area it would become useful; and there were no general indications that it ever would be so.
Neumann, to a physicist seeking help with a difficult problem: Simple. This can be solved by using the method of characteristics. Physicist: I’m afraid I don’t understand the method of characteristics. Neumann: In mathematics you don’t understand things. You just get used to them.
The emphasis on mathematical methods seems to be shifted more towards combinatorics and set theory – and away from the algorithm of differential equations which dominates mathematical physics.
There probably is a God. Many things are easier to explain if there is than if there isn’t.
There’s no sense in being precise when you don’t even know what you’re talking about.