CMT119 Assessment - 1533747

John von Neumann

Julian Biglow, Herman Goldstine, Robert Oppenheimer and John von Neumann (vl) in front of the IAS computer, which was also used in the US hydrogen bomb project.
Photograph from 1952 showing Julian Biglow, Herman Goldstine, Robert Oppenheimer and John von Neumann (left to right) in front of the IAS computer, which was also used in the US hydrogen bomb project. Image source: Heinz Nixdorf MuseumsForum (2021)

Background

John von Neumann (born Neumann Janos, December 28th, 1903, to a wealthy, Hungarian-Jewish family) Was an impossibly talented contributor to Mathematics, Physics and Computer Science relevant throughout the past, present, and future of the fields. Often described as a child prodigy, who by the age of 6 was able to divide two 8-digit numbers in his head (Henderson, Harry 2007) and known to converse in classical Greek (John von Neumann: as seen by his brother Meadowbrook 1987) and compared to legendary minds like Newton, Gauss, and Einstein.

Comparable with computing forebears such as Alan Turing, Neumann was trained as a mathematician, educated to PhD level in Budapest, moving on to Germany and the USA. In 1929, just 25 years-old, he lectured on quantum theory at Princeton University leading to his appointment as visiting professor, shortly followed by becoming one of the first professors at the Institute for Advanced Study (Britannica 2021) . During his time at the IAS preceding WWII, Neumann offered Turing employment as a research assistant in his work on quantum theory, Turing instead returned to Cambridge; Neumann became a highly desired consultant for US army, navy, air force and academia.

The von Neumann Architecture

Amongst his plethora contributions to science and mathematics is a theoretical model based on a description in his First Draft of a Report on the EDVAC, 1945 commonly known as Von Neumann Architecture and is still the main computer architecture over 70 years later.

The model consists of 3 major characteristics:

  • Memory
  • Processing Unit
  • Input/Output
Schematic of Von Neumann architecture.
A basic schematic showing the structure of Von Neumann computer architecture. A more detailed explanation can be found in this ScienceDirect article

Technological Singularity

The idea of a technological singularity is the hypothetical point in time by which technological growth becomes uncontrollable and irreversible and human affairs as we know them would cease – often used as a basis for dystopian science-fiction and moral discussions on the advancement of artificial intelligence.

Picture in style of Creation of Adam using human and robotic hand
Photograph of a human and robotic hand about to touch, in the style of The Creation of Adam. — Photo by Tara Winstead.

The term ‘Singularity’ in this context is attributed to Neumann after discussions on the topic before his death in 1959 (The singularity: a philosphical analysis. Chalmers, David (2010)). Yet another of his thoughts remains relevant even considering the scope of our future.

(1952 Photograph of scientists infront of IAS computer from the Heinz Nixdorf Museums Forum site, available at: https://www.hnf.de/en/permanente-tentoonstelling/afdelingen/eregalerij/john-von-neumann-1903-1957.html [Accessed: 23 October 2021])

(Henderson, Harry (2007). Mathematics: Powerful Patterns Into Nature and Society)

(N A Von-Neuman. John von Neumann: as seen by his brother (Meadowbrook, PA, 1987))

(Information on Neumanns academic career https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-von-Neumann/Princeton-1930-42 [Accessed 23 October 2021])

(John von Neumann. First Draft of a Report on the EDVAC, 1945)

(Chalmers, David (2010). "The singularity: a philosophical analysis". Journal of Consciousness Studies. 17 (9–10): 7–65.)

(Black and White Photo of Human Hand and Robot Hand by Tara Winstead, available at: https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-and-white-photo-of-human-hand-and-robot-hand-8386422/ [Accessed: 29 October 2021])