The Birthday of John von Neumann (1903) – The Last Word

Von Neumann contributed to set theory (von Neumann ordinals), quantum mechanics (rigorous foundations), game theory (minimax), computer architecture (von Neumann architecture), and self‑replicating automata. He also worked on the Manhattan Project and the hydrogen bomb. His ‘minimum cost flow’ algorithm is still used. He was a child prodigy who could divide eight‑digit numbers in his head. He once said, ‘If people do not believe that mathematics is simple, it is only because they do not realize how complicated life is.’ Von Neumann’s mind was a singularity.