Amount Quote by Allen Newell
“[The] amount of search is not a measure of the amount of intelligence being exhibited. What makes a problem a problem is not that a large amount of search is required for its solution, but that a large amount would be required if a requisite level of intelligence were not applied.”
About This Quote
Source Paper: Human Problem Solving, Allen Newell & Herbert A. Simon, 1972
Intelligence is measured by the quality of reasoning applied, not by how much searching is done.
In simple terms: Intelligence = smart reasoning, not brute search.
Focus on applying insight rather than exhaustive search.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- software development
- academic research
- strategic planning
- complex decision making
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you apply smarter heuristics?
- What problems benefit from deeper insight?
Search alone may miss creative shortcuts.