[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$fAd9yijuTC3Kd_kxNpkYghciqmKCNj4pFLuUB1TcL9yU":3,"$fpX1inpo90nbFKmvbtpmpjN5YxtW0N8-J3CW47FpwmU4":12},{"author":4,"tags":11},{"author_id":5,"author_name":6,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"bio":9,"short_bio":9,"bio_jsonld":9,"slug":10,"image_url":9},7860,"John von Neumann","J",57,null,"john-von-neumann",[],{"quotes":13,"pagination":77},[14,22,28,34,40,46,53,59,65,71],{"id":15,"quote_text":16,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":19,"source":20,"quote_tag":21,"commentary":9},3161192,"Natura non facis Saltus.",6,false,{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":23,"quote_text":24,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":25,"source":26,"quote_tag":27,"commentary":9},3161190,"In this sense, an object is of the highest degree of complexity if it can do very difficult and involved things.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":29,"quote_text":30,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":31,"source":32,"quote_tag":33,"commentary":9},3161185,"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.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":35,"quote_text":36,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":37,"source":38,"quote_tag":39,"commentary":9},3161181,"An element which stimulates itself will hold a stimulus indefinitely.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":41,"quote_text":42,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":43,"source":44,"quote_tag":45,"commentary":9},3161177,"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.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":47,"quote_text":48,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":49,"source":50,"quote_tag":51,"commentary":52},3161163,"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.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],"**The Backstory**\nThis quote, attributed to John von Neumann, captures a pivotal moment in his interactions with physicists struggling to grasp complex mathematical concepts. It's a reflection of his work during the 1930s and 1940s, when he was at the height of his intellectual prowess, contributing to the development of quantum mechanics and game theory. His interactions with physicists during this period highlight the challenges of communicating abstract mathematical concepts to those without a strong background in mathematics.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nThe quote reveals a profound tension between understanding and familiarity in the realm of mathematics. Von Neumann suggests that understanding is not a prerequisite for using mathematical concepts; rather, it's a process of becoming accustomed to them. This implies that the distinction between comprehension and proficiency is not always clear-cut, and that even in the absence of deep understanding, one can still navigate and apply mathematical tools effectively.\n\n**How to Use This**\nIn today's fast-paced, problem-solving environment, this mindset can be applied by recognizing that sometimes, the key to progress lies not in achieving a complete understanding of a complex concept, but in developing a sufficient level of familiarity to make practical use of it. By acknowledging the distinction between understanding and proficiency, professionals can focus on building practical skills and applying them effectively, even if they don't fully comprehend the underlying theory.",{"id":54,"quote_text":55,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":56,"source":57,"quote_tag":58,"commentary":9},3161153,"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.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":60,"quote_text":61,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":62,"source":63,"quote_tag":64,"commentary":9},3161132,"You don’t have to be responsible for the world that you’re in.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":66,"quote_text":67,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":68,"source":69,"quote_tag":70,"commentary":9},3161122,"There probably is a God. Many things are easier to explain if there is than if there isn’t.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":72,"quote_text":73,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":74,"source":75,"quote_tag":76,"commentary":9},3161099,"There’s no sense in being precise when you don’t even know what you’re talking about.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"currentPage":78,"totalPages":17,"totalItems":8,"itemsPerPage":79},1,10]