---
title: "2 Great Scientists Quotes By Richard Hamming"
description: "2 Great Scientists quotes by Richard Hamming. Plus more from Richard Hamming and more Great Scientists sayings from other authors."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ae/richard-hamming-14135_acorns_when-you-are-famous-it-is-hard-to-work-o_2457509.jpg"
---

> [ When you are famous it is hard to work on small problems. This is what did \[Claude Elwood\] Shannon in. After information theory, what do you do for an encore? The great scientists often make this error. They fail to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/when-you-are-famous-it-is-hard-to-work-on-small-problems-this-is-what/)

[Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ae/richard-hamming-14135_acorns_when-you-are-famous-it-is-hard-to-work-o_2457509.jpg)

> [Often the great scientists, by turning the problem around a bit, changed a defect to an asset. For example, many scientists when they found they couldn't do a problem finally began to study why not. They then turned it around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/often-the-great-scientists-by-turning-the-problem-around-a-bit/)

[Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf2/richard-hamming-14135_assets_often-the-great-scientists-by-turning-th_2574910.jpg)

## More by Richard Hamming

> [Science is composed of laws which were originally based on a small, carefully selected set of observations, often not very accurately measured originally; but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/science-is-composed-of-laws-which-were-originally-based-on-a-small/)

[Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/)

> [Typing is no substitute for thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/typing-is-no-substitute-for-thinking/)

[Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/)

> [Mathematics is an interesting intellectual sport but it should not be allowed to stand in the way of obtaining sensible information about physical processes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/mathematics-is-an-interesting-intellectual-sport-but-it-should-not-be/)

[Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/)

> [Given two people with exactly the same ability, the one person who manages day in and day out to get in one more hour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/given-two-people-with-exactly-the-same-ability-the-one-person-who/)

[Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/)

> [“It is not easy to become an educated person.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/it-is-not-easy-to-become-an-educated-person/)

[Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/)

> [The purpose of computing is insight, not numbers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/the-purpose-of-computing-is-insight-not-numbers/)

[Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/)

> [Mathematicians stand on each others' shoulders and computer scientists stand on each others' toes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/mathematicians-stand-on-each-others-shoulders-and-computer-scientists/)

[Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/)

> [What are the important problems of your field?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/what-are-the-important-problems-of-your-field/)

[Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/)

> [In mathematics we do not appeal to authority, but rather you are responsible for what you believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/in-mathematics-we-do-not-appeal-to-authority-but-rather-you-are/)

[Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/)

> [Beware of finding what you're looking for. A favorite aphorism he often used.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/beware-of-finding-what-you-re-looking-for-a-favorite-aphorism-he/)

[Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/)

> [Mathematics is not merely an idle art form, it is an essential part of our society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/mathematics-is-not-merely-an-idle-art-form-it-is-an-essential-part-of/)

[Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/)

> [Perhaps the central problem we face in all of computer science is how we are to get to the situation where we build on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/perhaps-the-central-problem-we-face-in-all-of-computer-science-is-how/)

[Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/)

> [One of the characteristics of successful scientists is having courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/one-of-the-characteristics-of-successful-scientists-is-having-courage/)

[Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/)

> [There are wavelengths that people cannot see, there are sounds that people cannot hear, and maybe computers have thoughts that people cannot think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/there-are-wavelengths-that-people-cannot-see-there-are-sounds-that/)

[Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/)

> [“The more you know, the more you learn; the more you learn, the more you can do; the more you can do, the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hamming/the-more-you-know-the-more-you-learn-the-more-you-learn-the-more-you/)

[Richard Hamming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hamming/)

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