--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Machines can only find what ignorant men…" description: "\"Machines can only find what ignorant men have programmed them to find.\" — Poul Anderson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39f/poul-anderson-11424_computers_machines-can-only-find-what-ignorant-men_992252.png" --- # Machines can only find what ignorant men have programmed… ![“Machines can only find what ignorant men have programmed them to find.” quote by Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39f/poul-anderson-11424_computers_machines-can-only-find-what-ignorant-men_992252.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39f/poul-anderson-11424_computers_machines-can-only-find-what-ignorant-men_992252.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39f/poul-anderson-11424_computers_machines-can-only-find-what-ignorant-men_992252.png) > “Machines can only find what ignorant men have programmed them to find.” [Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Machines only reveal what their creators have encoded, reflecting human bias in technology. **In simple terms:** Tech reflects its makers' limits. Key Takeaway Question assumptions in programming. Themes technology bias humanity Mood cautious critical Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - software development - data analysis - policy making - education - media reporting Key Concepts AI ethics programming limits Questions to Reflect On - How do you audit hidden biases? - What safeguards can ensure fairness? A Different Perspective Even unbiased data can be misinterpreted by biased algorithms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Machines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/machines/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [Ignorant men differ from beasts only in their figure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cleanthes/ignorant-men-differ-from-beasts-only-in-their-figure/) [Cleanthes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleanthes/) > [Ignorant men do not know what good they hold in their hands until they've flung it away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/ignorant-men-do-not-know-what-good-they-hold-in-their-hands-until/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [Women are programmed to love completely, and men are programmed to spread it around. We are fools to think it's any different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-bainbridge/women-are-programmed-to-love-completely-and-men-are-programmed-to/) [Beryl Bainbridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-bainbridge/) > [“Women are programmed to think they’re the only screw-up in the universe and men are programmed to think they’re the smartest creatures in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-kelly/women-are-programmed-to-think-they-re-the-only-screw-up-in-the/) Cathy Kelly > [Christianity was preached by ignorant men and believed by servants, and that is why it resembles nothing ever known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-de-maistre/christianity-was-preached-by-ignorant-men-and-believed-by-servants/) [Joseph de Maistre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-de-maistre/) > [I do not pretend to know where many ignorant men are sure - that is all that agnosticism means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/i-do-not-pretend-to-know-where-many-ignorant-men-are-sure-that-is-all/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [“These unwise utterances, however, were made, for the most part, by the overzealous and ignorant. Men who had no grasp of the real genius…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-h-roberts/these-unwise-utterances-however-were-made-for-the-most-part-by-the/) [B. H. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-h-roberts/) > [“Masters are great but books are better. He who has a library has a thousand teachers. Your Prophet said, “Seek lore, even if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elif-shafak/masters-are-great-but-books-are-better-he-who-has-a-library-has-a/) [Elif Shafak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elif-shafak/) > [The more ignorant men are, the more convinced are they that their little parish and their little chapel is an apex to which civilization…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-more-ignorant-men-are-the-more-convinced-are-they-that-their/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [The authors of the gospels were unlettered and ignorant men and the teachings of Jesus have come to us mutilated, misstated and unintelligible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-authors-of-the-gospels-were-unlettered-and-ignorant-men-and-the/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [I am an agnostic; I do not pretend to know what many ignorant men are sure of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/i-am-an-agnostic-i-do-not-pretend-to-know-what-many-ignorant-men-are/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [Ignorant men raise questions that wise men answered a thousand years ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/ignorant-men-raise-questions-that-wise-men-answered-a-thousand-years/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [The corporate state is an immensely powerful machine, ordered, legalistic, rational, yet utterly out of human control, wholly and perfectly indifferent to any human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-a-reich/the-corporate-state-is-an-immensely-powerful-machine-ordered/) [Charles A. Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-a-reich/) > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [I don't understand why we're all connected wirelessly via a little machine that goes in our pocket, to everybody in the world, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-don-t-understand-why-we-re-all-connected-wirelessly-via-a-little/) [Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) ## More by Poul Anderson > [Heaven is not as narrowly literal-minded as hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/heaven-is-not-as-narrowly-literal-minded-as-hell/) [Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) > [“I’ve yet to see any problem, however complicated, which when you looked at it the right way didn’t become still more complicated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/i-ve-yet-to-see-any-problem-however-complicated-which-when-you-looked/) [Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) > [Happier are all men than the dwellers in Faerie – or the gods, for that matter…Better a life like a falling star, bright across…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/happier-are-all-men-than-the-dwellers-in-faerie-or-the-gods-for-that/) [Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) > [He had seen too much of the cosmos to have any great faith in man's ability to understand it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/he-had-seen-too-much-of-the-cosmos-to-have-any-great-faith-in-man-s/) [Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) > [“Happier are all men than the beings of faerie – or the gods, for that matter,’ he said. ‘Better a life like a falling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/happier-are-all-men-than-the-beings-of-faerie-or-the-gods-for-that/) [Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) > [Colonization means potential immortality for the human genus. Man's safety on Earth was never great, and it dwindles hourly. Disarmament, even world government, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/colonization-means-potential-immortality-for-the-human-genus-man-s/) [Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) > [“And if you were not trained, the lesser members of the galaxy that had become visible were so many as to drown the familiar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/and-if-you-were-not-trained-the-lesser-members-of-the-galaxy-that-had/) [Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) > [If we knew exactly what to expect throughout the Solar System, we would have no reason to explore it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/if-we-knew-exactly-what-to-expect-throughout-the-solar-system-we/) [Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) > [“Survivor—under what conditions?” “Any conditions. Adaptability, toughness, quickness—those are the things that count most.” “I think kindness means a lot,” said Sheila timidly. “It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/survivor-under-what-conditions-any-conditions-adaptability-toughness/) [Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) > [A fanatic's willingness to kill or be killed in the service of a cause cannot prove the rightness of that cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/a-fanatic-s-willingness-to-kill-or-be-killed-in-the-service-of-a/) [Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) > [“You simply do not understand the human condition,” said the robot. Hah! Do you think you do, you conceited hunk of animated tin?” Yes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/you-simply-do-not-understand-the-human-condition-said-the-robot-hah/) [Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) > [So much American science fiction is parochial -- not as true now as it was years ago, but the assumption is one culture in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/so-much-american-science-fiction-is-parochial-not-as-true-now-as-it/) [Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) > [Better a life like a falling star, brief bright across the dark, than the long, long waiting of the immortals, loveless and cheerlessly wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/better-a-life-like-a-falling-star-brief-bright-across-the-dark-than/) [Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) > [“And the Milky Way belted heaven with ice and silver, and the Magellanic Clouds were not vague shimmers but roiling and glowing; and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/and-the-milky-way-belted-heaven-with-ice-and-silver-and-the/) [Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) > [“he claimed to be one of the last true conservatives—only, to conserve, you had to prune and graft and adjust.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/he-claimed-to-be-one-of-the-last-true-conservatives-only-to-conserve/) [Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) [Explore all 58 Poul Anderson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) ## More Computers quotes > [I don't understand why we're all connected wirelessly via a little machine that goes in our pocket, to everybody in the world, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-don-t-understand-why-we-re-all-connected-wirelessly-via-a-little/) [Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) > [“Probably it goes without saying, but time machine guys don't get a lot of action. Had a one night stand with something cute a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-yu/probably-it-goes-without-saying-but-time-machine-guys-don-t-get-a-lot/) [Charles Yu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-yu/) > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [Issac:"I dislike living in a world without Augustus Waters." Computer: "I don't understand-" Issac: "Me neither. Pause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/issac-i-dislike-living-in-a-world-without-augustus-waters-computer-i/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Note found in the patron suggestion box: "You have SIGNS up near the computers that say BE QUIET, but people don't be quiet. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-sheridan/note-found-in-the-patron-suggestion-box-you-have-signs-up-near-the/) [Gina Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-sheridan/) > [“You weren't born to be a cog in the giant industrial machine. You were trained to become a cog. There's an alternative available to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/you-weren-t-born-to-be-a-cog-in-the-giant-industrial-machine-you-were/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [The corporate state is an immensely powerful machine, ordered, legalistic, rational, yet utterly out of human control, wholly and perfectly indifferent to any human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-a-reich/the-corporate-state-is-an-immensely-powerful-machine-ordered/) [Charles A. Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-a-reich/) > [The display is the computer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hsun-huang/the-display-is-the-computer/) Jen-Hsun Huang > [The popular mind often pictures gigantic flying machines speeding across the Atlantic carrying innumerable passengers in a way analogous to our modern steam ships.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-henry-pickering/the-popular-mind-often-pictures-gigantic-flying-machines-speeding/) William Henry Pickering > [“Alan Turing proposed the Turing Test: a computer is intelligent if you can't tell it from a human when you talk with it. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cjs-hayward/alan-turing-proposed-the-turing-test-a-computer-is-intelligent-if-you/) [CJS Hayward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cjs-hayward/) > [Computers can be taught that certain tune or certain chords changes will sound pleasant together, but I don't think it's going to reach a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonobo/computers-can-be-taught-that-certain-tune-or-certain-chords-changes/) [Bonobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonobo/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [“According to this model, human beings are, at least in one aspect, sensation-receiving machines; and although our receptory apparatus is competent to select and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cruce-stark/according-to-this-model-human-beings-are-at-least-in-one-aspect/) Cruce Stark > [As in any machine, all the wires must be connected to the mains through one main wire. In the same way, you all must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/as-in-any-machine-all-the-wires-must-be-connected-to-the-mains/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) [Browse all 9,389 Computers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Machines can only find what ignorant men have programmed them to find.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Poul Anderson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/machines-can-only-find-what-ignorant-men-have-programmed-them-to-find/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Computers" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/machines-can-only-find-what-ignorant-men-have-programmed-them-to-find/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39f/poul-anderson-11424_computers_machines-can-only-find-what-ignorant-men_992252.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39f/poul-anderson-11424_computers_machines-can-only-find-what-ignorant-men_992252.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39f/poul-anderson-11424_computers_machines-can-only-find-what-ignorant-men_992252.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Machines can only find what ignorant men have programmed them to find.” — Poul Anderson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Poul Anderson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Machines can only find what ignorant...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/machines-can-only-find-what-ignorant-men-have-programmed-them-to-find/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/machines-can-only-find-what-ignorant-men-have-programmed-them-to-find/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```