--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am very seldom interested in…" description: "\"I am very seldom interested in applications. I am more interested in the elegance of a problem. Is it a good problem, an interesting problem?\" — Claude..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c35/claude-shannon-41955_application_i-am-very-seldom-interested-in-applicati_2134918.png" --- # I am very seldom interested in applications. I am more… ![“I am very seldom interested in applications. I am more interested in the elegance of a problem. Is it a good problem, an interesting problem?” quote by Claude Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c35/claude-shannon-41955_application_i-am-very-seldom-interested-in-applicati_2134918.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c35/claude-shannon-41955_application_i-am-very-seldom-interested-in-applicati_2134918.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c35/claude-shannon-41955_application_i-am-very-seldom-interested-in-applicati_2134918.png) > “I am very seldom interested in applications. I am more interested in the elegance of a problem. Is it a good problem, an interesting problem?” [Claude Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-shannon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He values the intrinsic beauty of a problem over its practical use. **In simple terms:** Problem elegance matters. Key Takeaway Seek problems that are fundamentally interesting. Themes theory beauty intellectual curiosity Mood reflective inquisitive Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - research - academic work - algorithm design - theoretical study Key Concepts mathematics information theory problem solving Questions to Reflect On - What makes a problem “good” to you? - Can elegance lead to useful applications later? A Different Perspective Practical applications may be overlooked if focus is solely on elegance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Elegance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elegance/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) ## Related quotes > [To solve an interesting problem, start by finding a problem that is interesting to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/to-solve-an-interesting-problem-start-by-finding-a-problem-that-is/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [We're not interested in applications where you're spying on people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rana-el-kaliouby/we-re-not-interested-in-applications-where-you-re-spying-on-people/) [Rana el Kaliouby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rana-el-kaliouby/) > [I've seldom minded other people's opinions, but the other side of that coin is that I've seldom been interested by them, um their opinions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/i-ve-seldom-minded-other-people-s-opinions-but-the-other-side-of-that/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [The conversation of human beings seldom interested him, but it crossed his mind that the males and females always got along best when neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-conversation-of-human-beings-seldom-interested-him-but-it-crossed/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Men who live like Casanova are seldom interested in themselves; their egocentricity does not give them time for egotism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-rexroth/men-who-live-like-casanova-are-seldom-interested-in-themselves-their/) [Kenneth Rexroth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-rexroth/) > [Unless you can begin with an interesting problem, it is unlikely you will end up with an interesting solution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-gill/unless-you-can-begin-with-an-interesting-problem-it-is-unlikely-you/) [Bob Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-gill/) > [Even when I was studying mathematics, physics, and computer science, it always seemed that the problem of consciousness was about the most interesting problem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-chalmers/even-when-i-was-studying-mathematics-physics-and-computer-science-it/) [David Chalmers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-chalmers/) > [Far more interesting than problem solving is problem creation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-close/far-more-interesting-than-problem-solving-is-problem-creation/) [Chuck Close](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-close/) > [If you have a problem you can solve by throwing money at it, you don't have a very interesting problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/if-you-have-a-problem-you-can-solve-by-throwing-money-at-it-you-don-t/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [I wish you'd help me look into a more interesting problem - namely, my sanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-wish-you-d-help-me-look-into-a-more-interesting-problem-namely-my/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Luckily," he went on, "you have come to exactly the right place with your interesting problem, for there is no such word as 'impossible'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/luckily-he-went-on-you-have-come-to-exactly-the-right-place-with-your/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [Running a farm is about solving a problem, and that's always interesting to me. But it's a constant process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-blackwell/running-a-farm-is-about-solving-a-problem-and-that-s-always/) [Chris Blackwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-blackwell/) > [“Once you have the solution, the problem might not be interesting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-sheldon/once-you-have-the-solution-the-problem-might-not-be-interesting/) [Sidney Sheldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-sheldon/) > [“I believe...that education is not only the most important societal problem but the most interesting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-graham/i-believe-that-education-is-not-only-the-most-important-societal/) [Katharine Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-graham/) > [The more difficult a problem becomes, the more interesting it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/the-more-difficult-a-problem-becomes-the-more-interesting-it-is/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) ## More by Claude Shannon > [My greatest concern was what to call it. I thought of calling it ‘information’, but the word was overly used, so I decided to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-shannon/my-greatest-concern-was-what-to-call-it-i-thought-of-calling-it/) [Claude Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-shannon/) > [The fundamental problem of communication is that of reproducing at one point either exactly or approximately a message selected at another point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-shannon/the-fundamental-problem-of-communication-is-that-of-reproducing-at/) [Claude Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-shannon/) > [Cousins are part of your life so stick with cuz, not friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-shannon/cousins-are-part-of-your-life-so-stick-with-cuz-not-friends/) [Claude Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-shannon/) > [Use the word 'cybernetics', Norbert, because nobody knows what it means. This will always put you at an advantage in arguments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-shannon/use-the-word-cybernetics-norbert-because-nobody-knows-what-it-means/) [Claude Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-shannon/) > [I just wondered how things were put together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-shannon/i-just-wondered-how-things-were-put-together/) [Claude Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-shannon/) > [I visualize a time when we will be to robots what dogs are to humans. And I am rooting for the machines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-shannon/i-visualize-a-time-when-we-will-be-to-robots-what-dogs-are-to-humans/) [Claude Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-shannon/) > [Information is the #resolution of uncertainty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-shannon/information-is-the-resolution-of-uncertainty/) [Claude Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-shannon/) > [We know the past but cannot control it. We control the future but cannot know it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-shannon/we-know-the-past-but-cannot-control-it-we-control-the-future-but/) [Claude Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-shannon/) > [Information: the negative reciprocal value of probability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-shannon/information-the-negative-reciprocal-value-of-probability/) [Claude Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-shannon/) [Explore all 10 Claude Shannon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-shannon/) ## More Application quotes > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-sarabhai/but-we-are-convinced-that-if-we-are-to-play-a-meaningful-role/) [Vikram Sarabhai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-sarabhai/) > [Technology means the systematic application of scientific or other organized knowledge to practical tasks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/technology-means-the-systematic-application-of-scientific-or-other/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [I've been in real estate for a long time and I always try to stay on the edge. I'm really excited about the partnership…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-hammer/i-ve-been-in-real-estate-for-a-long-time-and-i-always-try-to-stay-on/) [MC Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mc-hammer/) > [If we blow ourselves up we will do it by misapplication of science; if we manage to keep from blowing ourselves up, it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/if-we-blow-ourselves-up-we-will-do-it-by-misapplication-of-science-if/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“...why don't you take a picture of yourself next to a fucking job application? How about that?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-wolf/why-don-t-you-take-a-picture-of-yourself-next-to-a-fucking-job/) Josh Wolf > [Everything for us is a system. We don't think about it discretely as just as a piece of hardware, or discretely as an application...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosain-rahman/everything-for-us-is-a-system-we-don-t-think-about-it-discretely-as/) [Hosain Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosain-rahman/) > [To each eye, perhaps, the outlines of a great civilization present a different picture. In the wide ocean upon which we venture, the possible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-burckhardt/to-each-eye-perhaps-the-outlines-of-a-great-civilization-present-a/) [Jacob Burckhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-burckhardt/) > [Without application of the mind; there is no drive for taking affirmative action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mercado/without-application-of-the-mind-there-is-no-drive-for-taking/) [Joseph Mercado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mercado/) > [“Having no applicable skills, in any possible area whatsoever, effectively makes me the master of redundancy. But that info is obsolete, like my insults…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-advise/having-no-applicable-skills-in-any-possible-area-whatsoever/) Will Advise > [At every juncture, advanced tools have been the key to a new wave of applications, and each wave of applications has been key to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/at-every-juncture-advanced-tools-have-been-the-key-to-a-new-wave-of/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [The effect of the discovery of printing was evident in the savage religious wars of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Application of power to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-innis/the-effect-of-the-discovery-of-printing-was-evident-in-the-savage/) [Harold Innis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-innis/) > [As science is more and more subject to grave misuse as well as to use for human benefit it has also become the scientist's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-science-is-more-and-more-subject-to-grave-misuse-as-well-as-to-use/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you ask ... the man in the street ... the human significance of mathematics, the answer of the world will be, that mathematics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassius-jackson-keyser/if-you-ask-the-man-in-the-street-the-human-significance-of/) [Cassius Jackson Keyser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassius-jackson-keyser/) > [Technology, and applications of this technology, will continue to improve and evolve, providing unprecedented, global access to information, individuals, training, and opportunities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-webb/technology-and-applications-of-this-technology-will-continue-to/) [Maynard Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-webb/) Browse all 918 Application quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I am very seldom interested in applications. 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