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John von Neumann Quotes about Science

All John von Neumann Quotes Math Mathematics Science quotes Sin
Young man, in mathematics you don't understand things. You just get used to them.

Young man, in mathematics you don't understand things. You just get used to them.

John von Neumann
Math, Science, Men
Quoted in Gary Zukav, The DancingWu Li Masters (1979)

Anyone who attempts to generate random numbers by deterministic means is, of course, living in a state of sin.

John von Neumann
Mean, Science, Numbers

The sciences do not try to explain, they hardly even try to interpret, they mainly make models. By a model is meant a mathematical construct which, with the addition of certain verbal interpretations, describes observed phenomena. The justification of such a mathematical construct is solely and precisely that it is expected to work-that is, correctly to describe phenomena from a reasonably wide area.

John von Neumann
Science, Trying, Mathematics
John Von Neumann, F. Bródy, Tibor Vámos (1995). “The Neumann Compendium”, p.628, World Scientific

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.

John von Neumann
Science, Simple, Understanding
Quoted in Gary Zukav, The DancingWu Li Masters (1979)

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