--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Truth is much too complicated to allow…" description: "\"Truth is much too complicated to allow anything but approximations.\" — John von Neumann" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94a/john-von-neumann-14513_approximation_truth-is-much-too-complicated-to-allow-a_20141.jpg" --- # Truth is much too complicated to allow anything but… ![“Truth is much too complicated to allow anything but approximations.” quote by John von Neumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94a/john-von-neumann-14513_approximation_truth-is-much-too-complicated-to-allow-a_20141.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94a/john-von-neumann-14513_approximation_truth-is-much-too-complicated-to-allow-a_20141.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94a/john-von-neumann-14513_approximation_truth-is-much-too-complicated-to-allow-a_20141.jpg) > “Truth is much too complicated to allow anything but approximations.” [John von Neumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-von-neumann/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Truth resists exact capture; we must settle for models that approximate reality. **In simple terms:** Truth is complex, approximations required. Key Takeaway Exact truth is unattainable. Themes Epistemology Complexity Science Philosophy Uncertainty Mood Contemplative Intellectual Skeptical Type Philosophical Scientific Reflective When to use this quote - Scientific research - Policy analysis - Data-driven decision making - Philosophical debate Key Concepts Approximation Modeling Limits of Knowledge Practical Applications - Developing predictive models - Designing robust policies Questions to Reflect On - How do we decide when an approximation is sufficient? - What risks arise from over‑reliance on models? A Different Perspective Some argue that certain truths can be known precisely through mathematics or logic, but even these are subject to interpretation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Allow Approximations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allow-approximations-394527/) [Approximation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approximation/) [Approximations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approximations-394529/) [Complicated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complicated/) [Complicated Allow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complicated-allow-394528/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Mathematician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematician/) [Programming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programming/) [Rationality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rationality/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Truth Complicated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-complicated-394526/) [Truth is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-is/) ## Related quotes > [...all models are approximations. Essentially, all models are wrong, but some are useful. However, the approximate nature of the model must always be borne…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-e-p-box/all-models-are-approximations-essentially-all-models-are-wrong-but/) [George E. P. Box](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-e-p-box/) > [We live in a system of approximations. Every end is prospective of some other end, which is also temporary; a round and final success…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/we-live-in-a-system-of-approximations-every-end-is-prospective-of/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [We are all so much more complicated than we allow ourselves to appear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-forsythe-hailey/we-are-all-so-much-more-complicated-than-we-allow-ourselves-to-appear/) [Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-forsythe-hailey/) > [“the art of being good at approximations is insufficiently valued.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/the-art-of-being-good-at-approximations-is-insufficiently-valued/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“Be imprecise. Understand the concept of “by-and-large” and use approximations. Because our educational system is hung up on precision, the art of being good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/be-imprecise-understand-the-concept-of-by-and-large-and-use/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [I can tell you that the job of trying to tell the truth about people whose job it is to hide the truth is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/i-can-tell-you-that-the-job-of-trying-to-tell-the-truth-about-people/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) > [“The truth is often so much more complicated than the digest version that's handed down to us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-smolenyak/the-truth-is-often-so-much-more-complicated-than-the-digest-version/) [Megan Smolenyak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-smolenyak/) > [“The thing about dead people,” he said, and then stopped himself. “The thing is you sound like a bastard if you don’t romanticize them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/the-thing-about-dead-people-he-said-and-then-stopped-himself-the/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [It's very difficult to measure the impact on policy of any investigative journalism. 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You can have everyone in the country vote freely and democratically and still come up… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-hickman/p-eople-only-make-decisions-based-on-what-they-know-you-can-have/) [Tracy Hickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-hickman/) > [“Like so many irritating details of the Universe(which, come to think of it, is made up almost wholly of irritating details), the truth is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-ravenscroft/like-so-many-irritating-details-of-the-universe-which-come-to-think/) [Anthony Ravenscroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-ravenscroft/) > [The truth is so complicated now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goo-goo-dolls/the-truth-is-so-complicated-now/) [Goo Goo Dolls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goo-goo-dolls/) > [“The truth is never complicated.  It’s just the truth.  Circumstances may be complicated, but the truth is always black and white.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-barber/the-truth-is-never-complicated-it-s-just-the-truth-circumstances-may/) [Kathleen Barber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-barber/) > [The truth is complicated, and few people are actually monsters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-joseph/the-truth-is-complicated-and-few-people-are-actually-monsters/) [Max Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-joseph/) > [“Oh we're a mess, poor humans, poor flesh—hybrids of angels and animals, dolls with diamonds stuffed inside them. We've been to the moon and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-siken/oh-we-re-a-mess-poor-humans-poor-flesh-hybrids-of-angels-and-animals/) [Richard Siken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-siken/) ## More by John von Neumann > [Problems are often stated in vague terms... because it is quite uncertain what the problems really are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-von-neumann/problems-are-often-stated-in-vague-terms-because-it-is-quite/) [John von Neumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-von-neumann/) > [It would appear that we have reached the limits of what it is possible to achieve with computer technology, although one should be careful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-von-neumann/it-would-appear-that-we-have-reached-the-limits-of-what-it-is/) [John von Neumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-von-neumann/) > [I would like to make a confession which may seem immoral: I do not believe in Hilbert space anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-von-neumann/i-would-like-to-make-a-confession-which-may-seem-immoral-i-do-not/) [John von Neumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-von-neumann/) > [There is no point in being precise if you do not even know what you are talking about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-von-neumann/there-is-no-point-in-being-precise-if-you-do-not-even-know-what-you/) [John von Neumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-von-neumann/) > [The emphasis on mathematical methods seems to be shifted more towards combinatorics and set theory - and away from the algorithm of differential equations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-von-neumann/the-emphasis-on-mathematical-methods-seems-to-be-shifted-more-towards/) [John von Neumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-von-neumann/) > [If you tell me precisely what it is a machine cannot do, then I can always make a machine which will do just that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-von-neumann/if-you-tell-me-precisely-what-it-is-a-machine-cannot-do-then-i-can/) [John von Neumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-von-neumann/) > [The calculus was the first achievement of modern mathematics and it is difficult to overestimate its importance. I think it defines more unequivocally than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-von-neumann/the-calculus-was-the-first-achievement-of-modern-mathematics-and-it/) [John von Neumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-von-neumann/) > [The sciences do not try to explain, they hardly even try to interpret, they mainly make models. By a model is meant a mathematical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-von-neumann/the-sciences-do-not-try-to-explain-they-hardly-even-try-to-interpret/) [John von Neumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-von-neumann/) > [Kurt Godel's achievement in modern logic is singular and monumental - indeed it is more than a monument, it is a landmark which will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-von-neumann/kurt-godel-s-achievement-in-modern-logic-is-singular-and-monumental/) [John von Neumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-von-neumann/) > [If one has really technically penetrated a subject, things that previously seemed in complete contrast, might be purely mathematical transformations of each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-von-neumann/if-one-has-really-technically-penetrated-a-subject-things-that/) [John Von Neumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-von-neumann/) > [Any one who considers arithmetical methods of producing random digits is, of course, in a state of sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-von-neumann/any-one-who-considers-arithmetical-methods-of-producing-random-digits/) [John von Neumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-von-neumann/) > [By and large it is uniformly true in mathematics that there is a time lapse between a mathematical discovery and the moment when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-von-neumann/by-and-large-it-is-uniformly-true-in-mathematics-that-there-is-a-time/) [John von Neumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-von-neumann/) > [I think that it is a relatively good approximation to truth which is much too complicated to allow anything but approximations, that mathematical ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-von-neumann/i-think-that-it-is-a-relatively-good-approximation-to-truth-which-is/) [John Von Neumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-von-neumann/) > [The most vitally characteristic fact about mathematics is, in my opinion, its quite peculiar relationship to the natural sciences, or more generally, to any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-von-neumann/the-most-vitally-characteristic-fact-about-mathematics-is-in-my/) [John Von Neumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-von-neumann/) > [Anyone who considers arithmetical methods of producing random numbers is, of course, in a state of sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-von-neumann/anyone-who-considers-arithmetical-methods-of-producing-random-numbers/) [John Von Neumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-von-neumann/) [Explore all 45 John von Neumann quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-von-neumann/) ## More Approximation quotes > [“I suppose that having lost true love once, I never wanted to replace it with a lukewarm approximation that would only serve to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paola-kaufmann/i-suppose-that-having-lost-true-love-once-i-never-wanted-to-replace/) [Paola Kaufmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paola-kaufmann/) > [I consider the differences between man and animals in propensities, feelings, and intellectual faculties, to be the result of the same cause as that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-william-lawrence-1st-baronet/i-consider-the-differences-between-man-and-animals-in-propensities/) [Sir William Lawrence, 1st Baronet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-william-lawrence-1st-baronet/) > [ \[A\]n Obama presidency would be an amusing approximation of the Carter administration, complete with vaporous moralizing and foreign policy bungling. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-tyrrell/a-n-obama-presidency-would-be-an-amusing-approximation-of-the-carter/) [Emmett Tyrrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-tyrrell/) > [No one knows what the right algorithm is, but it gives us hope that if we can discover some crude approximation of whatever this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ng/no-one-knows-what-the-right-algorithm-is-but-it-gives-us-hope-that-if/) [Andrew Ng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ng/) > [Men of science have made abundant mistakes of every kind; their knowledge has improved only because of their gradual abandonment of ancient errors, poor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sarton/men-of-science-have-made-abundant-mistakes-of-every-kind-their/) [George Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sarton/) > [I conceive, therefore, that a somewhat comprehensive socialisation of investment will prove the means of securing an approximation to full employment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/i-conceive-therefore-that-a-somewhat-comprehensive-socialisation-of/) [John Maynard Keynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-keynes/) > [The fascinating thing to a dispassionate observer about the structure of life in the Soviet Union is that in their efforts to produce an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dos-passos/the-fascinating-thing-to-a-dispassionate-observer-about-the-structure/) [John Dos Passos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dos-passos/) > [Spirituality is much wider than any particular religion, and in the larger ideas of it that are now coming on us even the greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/spirituality-is-much-wider-than-any-particular-religion-and-in-the/) [Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) > [“Luckily, there's a neat approximation formula for just this sum. 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