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John Von Neumann
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The Computer and the Brain (The Silliman Memorial Lectures Series) Third Edition

by John von Neumann (Author), Ray Kurzweil (Foreword)

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In this classic work, one of the greatest mathematicians of the twentieth century explores the analogies between computing machines and the living human brain. John von Neumann, whose many contributions to science, mathematics, and engineering include the basic organizational framework at the heart of today's computers, concludes that the brain operates both digitally and analogically, but also has its own peculiar statistical language.

In his foreword to this new edition, Ray Kurzweil, a futurist famous in part for his own reflections on the relationship between technology and intelligence, places von Neumann’s work in a historical context and shows how it remains relevant today.

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  1. ISBN-10
    0241515157
  2. ISBN-13
    978-0143416371
  3. Edition
    Third
  4. Publisher
    Yale University Press
  5. Publication date
    August 28, 2012
  6. Language
    English
  7. Dimensions
    5 x 0.34 x 7.75 inches
  8. Print length
    144 pages
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Highly original and intensely stimulating. His ideas will have great value to further investigation."—S. Ulam, Scientific American (from an earlier edition)



"On opening The Computer and the Brain, I expected to find it 'of historical interest only' (as one of my own professors used to say rather loftily of Principia Mathematica). To the contrary, the book abounds with insights so deep they have not yet been internalized by any but a very small number of specialists."—John Derbyshire, New Criterion



"The mind of the later Dr. von Neumann was so luminous, so lucid, and so far reaching that interested laymen can read this book with occasional flashes of comprehension that justify the groping."―American Business (from an earlier edition)

"Von Neumann was one of the top experts in all aspects of computing . . . and one of the most rigorous minds ever to discuss the computational organization of brains. His last book presents one of the most sophisticated comparisons ever made between computers and brains. . . . It’s a landmark in the history of computing, psychology, and neuroscience, and it’s required reading for anyone interested in the foundations of those disciplines."—Gualtiero Piccinini, Minds and Machines



"An outstanding example of J. von Neumann’s insight, brilliance and clarity."—Mathematical Reviews



"This book is the earliest serious examination of the human brain from the perspective of a mathematician and computer pioneer. Prior to von Neumann, the fields of computer science and neuroscience were two islands with no bridge between them."—Ray Kurzweil, from the foreword

"This book contains exactly the line of reasoning that inspired the architecture underlying Watson, the machine that beat the best human champions at Jeopardy!. A must read for any new computer scientist and reread for all of us who enjoy the stunning power of thoughtful observation and objective reason."—David Ferrucci, IBM T.J. Watson Research Center

"This innocent-looking little book lies at the eye of a hurricane. It represents a locus of clarity and calm at the center of a vast vortex of powerful arguments and competing research programs."—Paul and Patricia Churchland, on the earlier edition




"Perhaps the most powerful, lucid and penetrating mind in the history of computer science, von Neumann's observations about the language of the brain resonate with remarkable insight. Decades ahead of his time, he launches a thread of reasoning based on his unmatched understanding of computing that suggests the human nervous system is best understood, not as a digital machine but has a statistical one. . . . 'The nervous system is a computing machine which manages to do its exceedingly complicated work on a rather low level of precision....what matters are not the precise positions of definite markers, digits, but the statistical characteristics of their occurrences, i.e., frequencies. . . .' It is exactly this line of reasoning that inspired the essential architecture underlying Watson, the machine that beat the best human champions at Jeopardy! There is no precise mathematics to human language and yet it is the foundation for expressing human thought. Von Neumann reasons his way from analog machines to digital machines to delivering unparalleled insight into the computational paradigm underlying the human brain. A must read for any new computer scientist and reread for all of us who enjoy the stunning power of thoughtful observation and objective reason."—David Ferrucci, IBM T.J. Watson Research Center

"This work from the earliest days of computing reminds us of von Neumann’s deep thinking and clarity of expression."—Dag Spicer, Senior Curator, Computer History Museum

About the Author

At the time of his death in February 1957, John von Neumann, renowned for his theory of games and his work at the Electronic Computer Project at the Institute for Advanced Study, was serving as a member of the Atomic Energy Commission. Ray Kurzweil is an inventor, author, and futurist who has written six books including The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0300181116
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Yale University Press
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 28, 2012
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ Third
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 144 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0241515157
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0143416371
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 4.8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 0.34 x 7.75 inches
  • Best Sellers Rank: #133,353 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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John Von Neumann

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Aran Joseph Canes
    5.0 out of 5 stars Dated yet Clear Introduction to AI, Computer Architecture and the Human Brain
    Reviewed in the United States on December 8, 2017
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    Neuroscience and computer science have advanced considerably since Von Neumann, one of the founders of the modern computer, discussed these subjects in The Computer and the Brain.

    I do not believe, for example, that the text contains any insights that have not been picked up on by more recent authors.

    There are, however, good reasons to purchase this book. Obviously, if one wants to look at the history of human understanding of artificial intelligence the work is an important foundation.

    But, more profoundly, Von Neumann discusses the architecture of the computer and what was known about the brain in such easily comprehensible prose that the book is also a good introductory essay. Being less than 100 pages, it is also a relatively quick read.

    If then, you are looking for the most up to date neuroscience and artificial intelligence theory you should not choose this work. But as a landmark historical essay and a good introduction to these fields the book is, beyond doubt, a good choice.
    13 people found this helpful
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  • Michael Rader
    5.0 out of 5 stars Inception of the digital revolution
    Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2017
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    This monograph is worth reading to get a sense of how von Neumann approached a problem using his mathematical intuition. I found it a valuable if short read.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Tuck Newport
    5.0 out of 5 stars Deserves More Than 5 Stars
    Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2014
    John von Neumann was the principal architect (in 1945) of the design from which all subsequent electronic computers trace their lineage. As he was dying of bone cancer, this giant of 20th Century mathematics and physics wrote the last of his 150 research papers, "The Computer and the Brain".

    In 80 pages, von Neumann describes the key components and processes of computers and of brains and then analyzes their similarities and differences. Developments in both computer science and neuroscience during the intervening six decades have corroborated his overall analysis. Von Neumann had a better grasp in 1956 than proponents of AI have today of what differentiates artificial intelligence (computers) from biological intelligence (brains). In the last section of "The Computer and the Brain", von Neumann goes to considerable lengths to explain exactly how computers differ from brains:

    "It should also be noted that the message-system used in the nervous system, as described in the above, is of an essentially statistical character. In other words, what matters are not the precise positions of definite markers, digits, but the statistical characteristics of their occurrence, i.e., frequencies of periodic or nearly periodic pulse-trains, etc.

    "Thus the nervous system appears to be using a radically different system of notation from the ones we are familiar with in ordinary arithmetic and mathematics. Instead of the precise systems of markers where the position--and presence or absence--of every marker counts decisively in determining the meaning of the message, we have here a system of notations in which the meaning is conveyed by the statistical properties of the message. We have seen how this leads to a lower level of arithmetical precision but to a higher level of logical reliability: a deterioration in arithmetics has been traded for an improvement in logics."

    Or, to quote von Neumann again farther down the same page, "The Language of the Brain is Not the Language of Mathematics".

    Try to imagine transistor logic gates, arithmetic logic units, integrated circuits, multi-core microprocessors, neuromorphic chips, neural networks, massively parallel systems, software algorithms, etc.--all without math. Good luck.
    12 people found this helpful
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  • Phred
    4.0 out of 5 stars Something of a historical curiosity
    Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2014
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    Perhaps more so than Alan Turing, (If we accept the intro by Kirtzweil, a man with serious credentials), John von Neuman was one of the most important figures in developing the basic architecture of the modern digital computer. The two did work together, but von Neuman was the senior and I propose had a better grasp of the juncture of math and machine.
    The Computer and the Brain is the last published work by von Neuman and was an attempt to bring together what was known about the machine qualities of the brain and what the machines of 1957 might one day be able to accomplish.
    As such almost everything is dated and new discoveries in neuroscience more so than in computers place limits on the absolute value of his comments.

    That said, there was a head line in recent science news that there is a prototype computer in testing that combines both digital and large scale parallel computing in the manner von Neuman suggests as the model for how the brain may work.

    The Computer and the Brain is the printed from of a lecture. He was too ill (mortally) for the series he was offered to conduct. So great was the respect for the man that he was allowed to present only these papers, sufficient for one lecture and about 3 hours reading. I do not think he read the paper; he had just the strength to write it.

    Besides having been a vitally important mathematician, he was active in the cause of scientific ethics and as the man who drafted the letter, signed by Einstein credited with America committing to atomic research he is therefore a originator of the atomic age. He was a man of great thought and influence.
    Reading this book is a chance to listen to a great mind. I make no claim to have understood all of it. I suspect that no one should read it in an effort to be at the leading edge of math, computers or neurology. It is a hard, but worth it read, and a glass into our recent history.
    11 people found this helpful
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Von Neuman on the Brain and Computers
    Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2018
    Incredible insights that are as remarkable for their content as for when von Neuman proposed them. It is fascinating to get a look at the way he thought and looked at the world.
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  • Mitch Haile
    4.0 out of 5 stars Great introduction
    Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2017
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    As other reviews stated; great for the history lesson, and the introduction is excellent--and worth buying for that alone. The actual content of von Neumann's focus isn't particularly useful for modern work, at least in the context that I am working on.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Capecoddan
    3.0 out of 5 stars History lesson
    Reviewed in the United States on September 29, 2013
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    The book is mildly interesting from an historical perspective about what von Neumann was thinking about before he died, but really not that useful from a neuroscience point of view.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • Kevin Chen
    1.0 out of 5 stars One Star
    Reviewed in the United States on October 13, 2014
    Very hard to understand
    One person found this helpful
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  • Koustav Naha
    4.0 out of 5 stars Way of Aı It Is
    Reviewed in India on August 28, 2024
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    Honestly, I was surprısed to see the sıze of the book ıts so tıny just lıke a handbook or pocket book.But the Contents present in there hands down its the best of best anyone can get. Its simple complete research on Smart machines, evolution of Machine learning and Advanced Computation that led to robust technologies which we witness today. John Von neuman ( Is always the pioneer when it comes to Hardware, Software and neural nets ) how both of them can correlate and work together its fabolous. ( Herman hollerith, Von Neuman, Alan turning ) these are the pioneers and founding figs of of modern tech.

    I myself is an Aıml ug and thıs is the thing i was looking for after Network theory truly awesome , the book also gives early context of Quantaum Computing and Yale edition makes it even greater ;)
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  • kevin
    5.0 out of 5 stars Visionary
    Reviewed in Canada on December 3, 2022
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    Quite the read!!
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  • José Huerta Ibarra
    5.0 out of 5 stars Uno de los mas grandes precursores
    Reviewed in Mexico on October 14, 2023
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    La computación forma parte indispensable del mundo moderno. Siempre es útil conocer las labores de los precursores en cualquier actividad desarrollada ulteriormente. Nos proporcionan los elementos básicos que les permitió prefigurar los avances científicos y técnicos que conforman la vida contemporánea. Señalan la pertinencia de que se creen mecanismos necesarios para el logro de satisfactores de necesidades modernas.
    Su estudio nos permite elaborar una secuencia de aprendizaje idónea de terrenos tan complejos. De alguna manera nos facilitan resolver los enigmas existentes en fenómenos como la inteligencia artificial.
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  • John
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in Canada on June 12, 2018
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    A good read.
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  • KingWren
    4.0 out of 5 stars Perspective on the brain and the computer thank will get you to rethink computers
    Reviewed in Canada on April 1, 2025
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    Although advances in both the understanding of the brain ,along with technological advances in computing, has occurred since this book was published, it offers an appreciation for the groundwork that others established in the past that we have benefited from today.
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