Norbert Wiener

Mathematics American 1894 – 1964 386 quotes

The founder of cybernetics, a field that explores control and communication in animals and machines.

Most quoted

"We are not fighting for a definitive victory in the indefinite future. It is the greatest possible victory to be, to continue to be, and to have been. No defeat can deprive us of the success of having existed for some moment of time in a universe that seems indifferent to us."

— from Cybernetics, 1948

"The future offers very little hope for those who expect that our new mechanical slaves will offer us a world in which we may rest from thinking. Help us they may, but at the cost of supreme demands upon our honesty and our intelligence."

— from God and Golem, Inc., 1964

"It is my thesis that the physical functioning of the living individual and the operation of some of the newer communication machines are precisely parallel in their analogous attempts to control entropy through feedback."

— from Cybernetics, 1948

All quotes by Norbert Wiener (386)

The machine is a reflection of our own intelligence, and it can help us to understand ourselves better.

The Human Use of Human Beings: Cybernetics and Society 1950

The future of work will be shaped by the machines we create.

The Human Use of Human Beings: Cybernetics and Society 1950

The machine is a powerful force for change, and it can transform our lives in unexpected ways.

The Human Use of Human Beings: Cybernetics and Society 1950

The universe is a vast and complex system, and we are only a small part of it.

Cybernetics: Or Control and Communication in the Animal and the Machine 1948

The human spirit is indomitable, and it will always strive for knowledge and understanding.

The Human Use of Human Beings: Cybernetics and Society 1950

The machine is a tool for liberation, but it can also be a tool for oppression.

The Human Use of Human Beings: Cybernetics and Society 1950

The future is not predetermined, but it is shaped by our choices and actions.

The Human Use of Human Beings: Cybernetics and Society 1950

The machine is a mirror of our desires, and it can help us to achieve our goals.

The Human Use of Human Beings: Cybernetics and Society 1950

The world is a tapestry of interconnected events, and every action has a consequence.

Cybernetics: Or Control and Communication in the Animal and the Machine 1948

The human mind is a boundless source of creativity and innovation.

The Human Use of Human Beings: Cybernetics and Society 1950

The machine is a tool for progress, but it can also be a tool for destruction.

The Human Use of Human Beings: Cybernetics and Society 1950

The future is a blank canvas, and we are the artists who will paint its destiny.

The Human Use of Human Beings: Cybernetics and Society 1950

The machine is a reflection of our values, and it can help us to build a better world.

The Human Use of Human Beings: Cybernetics and Society 1950

The world is a symphony of sounds, and we are the conductors who create its harmony.

Cybernetics: Or Control and Communication in the Animal and the Machine 1948

The human heart is a wellspring of compassion and empathy.

The Human Use of Human Beings: Cybernetics and Society 1950

The machine is a tool for understanding, but it can also be a tool for misunderstanding.

The Human Use of Human Beings: Cybernetics and Society 1950

The future is a journey, and we are the travelers who embark on its path.

The Human Use of Human Beings: Cybernetics and Society 1950

The machine is a reflection of our dreams, and it can help us to make them a reality.

The Human Use of Human Beings: Cybernetics and Society 1950

The world is a dance of energy and matter, and we are the dancers who participate in its rhythm.

Cybernetics: Or Control and Communication in the Animal and the Machine 1948

The human spirit is a flame that burns brightly, even in the darkest of times.

The Human Use of Human Beings: Cybernetics and Society 1950