A parable: A man was examining the construction of a cathedral. He asked a stone mason what he was doing chipping the stones, and the mason replied, "I am making stones." He asked a stone carver what he was doing.… — Richard Hamming Copy Share Image
Most of the time each person is immersed in the details of one special part of the whole and does not think of how what they are doing relates to the larger picture. For example, in education, a teacher might… — Richard Hamming Copy Share Image
Science is composed of laws which were originally based on a small, carefully selected set of observations, often not very accurately measured originally; but… — Richard Hamming Copy Share Image
Mathematics is an interesting intellectual sport but it should not be allowed to stand in the way of obtaining sensible information about physical processes. — Richard Hamming Copy Share Image
Given two people with exactly the same ability, the one person who manages day in and day out to get in one more hour… — Richard Hamming Copy Share Image
Mathematicians stand on each others' shoulders and computer scientists stand on each others' toes. — Richard Hamming Copy Share Image
In mathematics we do not appeal to authority, but rather you are responsible for what you believe. — Richard Hamming Copy Share Image
Beware of finding what you're looking for. A favorite aphorism he often used. — Richard Hamming Copy Share Image
Mathematics is not merely an idle art form, it is an essential part of our society. — Richard Hamming Copy Share Image
Perhaps the central problem we face in all of computer science is how we are to get to the situation where we build on… — Richard Hamming Copy Share Image
