John von Neumann

Summary

John von Neumann is a human^[1]. Born in Budapest^[2], he… he died in Washington, D.C.^[3]. He worked as a mathematician^[4], computer scientist^[5], physicist^[6], economist^[7], and university teacher^[8]. He ranks in the top 0.55% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (11,881 views/month, #5,549 of 1,000,298).^[9]

Key Facts

• John von Neumann was born in Budapest^[2].
• John von Neumann died in Washington, D.C.^[3].
• John von Neumann is buried at Princeton Cemetery^[10].
• John von Neumann's father was Max von Neumann^[11].
• John von Neumann's mother was Margaret Neumann^[12].
• John von Neumann was married to Klara Dan von Neumann^[13].
• John von Neumann was married to Mariette Kövesi^[14].
• A child of John von Neumann was Marina von Neumann Whitman^[15].
• John von Neumann held citizenship in Hungary^[16].
• John von Neumann held citizenship in United States^[17].
• Hungarian was John von Neumann's native language^[18].
• John von Neumann's professions included mathematician^[4].
• John von Neumann worked as a computer scientist^[5].
• John von Neumann's professions included physicist^[6].
• John von Neumann's professions included economist^[7].
• John von Neumann's professions included university teacher^[8].
• John von Neumann's professions included non-fiction writer^[19].
• John von Neumann's field of work was functional analysis^[20].
• John von Neumann's field of work was operator theory^[21].
• John von Neumann's field of work was mathematics^[22].
• John von Neumann's field of work was physics^[23].
• John von Neumann's field of work was game theory^[24].
• John von Neumann's field of work was cellular automaton^[25].
• John von Neumann held the position of chairperson^[26].
• John von Neumann was employed by Princeton University^[27].

Body

Origins and Family

John von Neumann's place of birth was Budapest^[2]. His father was Max von Neumann^[11]. His mother was Margaret Neumann^[12]. Hungarian was his native language^[18].

Education

Educated at Fasori Gimnázium^[28], a high school^[29], in Hungary^[30], founded in 1823^[31]; Frederick William University Berlin^[32], a university^[33], in Prussia^[34], founded in 1828^[35]; ETH Zurich^[36], an institute of technology^[37], in Switzerland^[38], founded in 1855^[39], headquartered in ETH Zurich main building^[40]; Eötvös Loránd University^[41], a public research university^[42], in Hungary^[43], founded in 1635^[44], headquartered in Budapest^[45]; and University of Göttingen^[46], a campus university^[47], in Germany^[48], founded in 1734^[49], headquartered in Göttingen^[50]. John von Neumann's doctoral advisor was Lipót Fejér^[51].

Career and Affiliations

Recorded occupations include mathematician^[4], computer scientist^[5], physicist^[6], economist^[7], university teacher^[8], and non-fiction writer^[19]. Fields of work include functional analysis^[20], a branch of mathematics^[52]; operator theory^[21], a branch of mathematics^[53]; mathematics^[22], an academic discipline^[54]; physics^[23], a branch of science^[55]; game theory^[24], a branch of mathematics^[56]; and cellular automaton^[25], a mathematical model^[57]. Employers include Princeton University^[27], Frederick William University Berlin^[58], United States Atomic Energy Commission^[59], University of Hamburg^[60], Institute for Advanced Study^[61], and Armed Forces Special Weapons Project^[62]. John von Neumann held the position of chairperson^[26]. Doctoral students include Donald B. Gillies^[63], Maurice Pryce^[64], Israel Halperin^[65], Friederich Ignaz Mautner^[66], and John Patterson Mayberry^[67].

Recognition

Awards received include Medal of Freedom^[68], Carl-Gustaf Rossby Research Medal^[69], Bôcher Memorial Prize^[70], Enrico Fermi Award^[71], Josiah Willard Gibbs Lectureship^[72], and Silliman Memorial Lectures^[73].

Personal Life

Spouses include Klara Dan von Neumann^[13], a computer scientist^[74], 1911–1963^[75], of Hungary^[76], specialised in computer science^[77] and Mariette Kövesi^[14], an economist^[78], 1909–1992^[79], of Hungary^[80]. A child of John von Neumann was Marina von Neumann Whitman^[15]. Religious affiliations include Judaism^[81], Christianity^[82], and Catholicism^[83].

Death and Burial

John von Neumann died in Washington, D.C.^[3]. Burial took place at Princeton Cemetery^[10].

Works and Contributions

Things named for John von Neumann include von Neumann architecture^[84], self-replicating spacecraft^[85], von Neumann universe^[86], von Neumann algebra^[87], von Neumann entropy^[88], minimax theorem^[89], Von Neumann–Bernays–Gödel set theory^[90], and von Neumann–Morgenstern utility theorem^[91].

Why It Matters

John von Neumann ranks in the top 0.55% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (11,881 views/month, #5,549 of 1,000,298).^[9] He has Wikipedia articles in 30 language editions, a strong signal of global cultural recognition.^[92] He is known by 28 alternative names across languages and contexts.^[93]

He has been cited as an influence by Lloyd Shapley^[94], an economist^[95], 1923–2016^[96], of United States^[97], awarded the Bronze Star Medal^[98], specialised in mathematics^[99]; Raphael M. Robinson^[100], a mathematician^[101], 1911–1995^[102], of United States^[103], specialised in set theory^[104]; and Alexander Brody^[105], a writer^[106], 1933–2022^[107], of United States^[108].

He is credited with the discovery of Monte Carlo method^[109], a randomized algorithm^[110]; merge sort^[111], a comparison sort^[112]; density matrix^[113]; set-theoretic definition of natural numbers^[114], a definition^[115]; von Neumann cellular automaton^[116], a cellular automaton^[117]; and middle-square method^[118], an algorithm^[119]. Works attributed to him include Theory of Games and Economic Behavior^[120] and First Draft of a Report on the EDVAC^[121]. Entities named for him include von Neumann architecture^[84], self-replicating spacecraft^[85], von Neumann universe^[86], von Neumann algebra^[87], von Neumann entropy^[88], and minimax theorem^[89].

His notable doctoral advisees include Donald B. Gillies^[122] and Israel Halperin^[123].

FAQs

Where was John von Neumann born?

John von Neumann was born in Budapest^[2].

Where did John von Neumann die?

John von Neumann died in Washington, D.C.^[3].

Who were John von Neumann's parents?

John von Neumann's father was Max von Neumann^[11]. John von Neumann's mother was Margaret Neumann^[12].

Who was John von Neumann married to?

John von Neumann's spouses include Klara Dan von Neumann^[13] and Mariette Kövesi^[14].

What did John von Neumann do for work?

John von Neumann worked as mathematician^[4], computer scientist^[5], physicist^[6], economist^[7], and university teacher^[8].

Where did John von Neumann go to school?

John von Neumann was educated at Fasori Gimnázium^[28], Frederick William University Berlin^[32], ETH Zurich^[36], and Eötvös Loránd University^[41].

What awards did John von Neumann receive?

Honors received include Medal of Freedom^[68], Carl-Gustaf Rossby Research Medal^[69], Bôcher Memorial Prize^[70], and Enrico Fermi Award^[71].

Who did John von Neumann influence?

John von Neumann has been cited as an influence by Lloyd Shapley^[94], Raphael M. Robinson^[100], and Alexander Brody^[105].

What did John von Neumann discover?

John von Neumann is credited as discoverer of Monte Carlo method^[109], merge sort^[111], density matrix^[113], and set-theoretic definition of natural numbers^[114].