Answers Quote by Anonymous
![“The most spectacular thing about Johnny [von Neumann] was not his power as a mathematician, which was great, or his insight and his clarity, but his rapidity; he was very, very fast. And like the modern computer, which no longer bothers to retrieve the logarithm of 11 from its memory (but…” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/854/anonymous-1_answers_the-most-spectacular-thing-about-johnny_2032971.jpg)
“The most spectacular thing about Johnny [von Neumann] was not his power as a mathematician, which was great, or his insight and his clarity, but his rapidity; he was very, very fast. And like the modern computer, which no longer bothers to retrieve the logarithm of 11 from its memory (but, instead, computes the logarithm of 11 each time it is needed), Johnny didn't bother to remember things. He computed them. You asked him a question, and if he didn't know the answer, he thought for three seconds and would produce and answer.”
About This Quote
Source Biography: John von Neumann: The Scientific Genius Who Pioneered the Modern Computer, 1995
Speed and willingness to recompute replace reliance on memory.
In simple terms: He preferred calculating over remembering.
Key Takeaway
Embrace dynamic problem solving.
Themes
speed
computation
memory
innovation
efficiency
Mood
analytical
pragmatic
Type
technical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- software development
- math research
- teaching
- strategic planning
Key Concepts
algorithmic thinking
cognitive load
mental models
Questions to Reflect On
- How does recomputation affect learning?
- When is memorization preferable?
A Different Perspective
May neglect the value of stored knowledge.
