If we consider the atomic bomb as the most dangerous invention to emerge from World War II, recent advancements in artificial intelligence have positioned the computer as a close second. These two inventions, although not the work of any single scientist, have a surprising intersection in the life of John von Neumann, a Hungarian-born polymath often regarded as the most intelligent man in history. While he may be less well-known today compared to his contemporaries, such as Albert Einstein and J. Robert Oppenheimer, many of them considered him the most remarkable of all. In fact, Nobel Prize-winning physicist Hans Bethe once speculated whether von Neumann’s brain signified a superior species to humans.
Von Neumann, born in Budapest in 1903, migrated to the United States in 1930 and joined the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey in 1933. Like many immigrant physicists, he assisted with the Manhattan Project and played a role in developing the implosion method used for the first atomic bombs. Shortly before the Hiroshima bombing, he published a paper outlining the concept for a programmable digital computer. In 1952, the Los Alamos National Laboratory constructed their first computer based on the design principles known as “von Neumann architecture.” This machine, humorously named MANIAC, which stands for Mathematical Analyzer, Numerical Integrator, and Computer, has shaped the world of computing as we know it today.
Von Neumann’s influence extends beyond the realms of atomic bombs and computers. He laid down the mathematical framework for quantum mechanics, described the process of genetic self-replication before the discovery of DNA, and founded the field of game theory, which has had significant impacts on both economics and the Cold War’s geostrategy. At the time of his death in 1957 from cancer, potentially caused by radiation exposure, he was one of the US government’s top advisors on nuclear weapons and strategy. His hospital room at Walter Reed Army Medical Center was even guarded to prevent any delirious disclosures of classified information.
In his latest novel, “The MANIAC,” Chilean writer Benjamín Labatut explores the idea that the name of the computer von Neumann helped invent reflects the physicist himself. Labatut delves into the question of whether von Neumann, as one of the creators of nuclear weapons and artificial intelligence, was aware of the risks he was posing to the future of humanity. The novel paints a vivid picture through fictional testimonies from real people who knew von Neumann at different stages of his life, blending biographical facts with imaginative episodes. As the story progresses, readers are provided with a layman’s understanding of von Neumann’s scientific and mathematical advancements.
Labatut skillfully emphasizes von Neumann’s extraordinary nature from an early age. His mother’s notes on his development read like those found in a baby book, highlighting his astonishing ability to remain stoic after being slapped by a doctor. From the perspective of his math professor, von Neumann’s brilliance is exemplified by his immediate solution to an exceptionally difficult unsolved theorem. However, Labatut also conveys a darker side to von Neumann’s genius, portraying a sinister machine-like intelligence that lacks the restraints typically seen in humans.
The MANIAC depicts von Neumann as a Faustian figure, someone who transgressed the limits of knowledge to become something beyond human comprehension. This interpretation strays from biographical fact, as von Neumann was known for his optimism, love of money, and unwavering belief in human progress. Labatut adopts a narrative technique reminiscent of W. G. Sebald, weaving together historical events with elements of fiction to create a sense of unease and ambiguity.
Labatut’s distortions become more pronounced and surreal as the novel progresses. He presents influential figures in 20th-century science, including von Neumann, as tormented individuals driven to madness by their relentless pursuit of knowledge. While some of these distortions may stray from reality, Labatut draws on accurate historical events to craft his dark parables. The shockingly gruesome descriptions in his previous work, “When We Cease to Understand the World,” which tells the stories of scientists like Fritz Haber and Werner Heisenberg, are based on factual events from history.
It is clear that Labatut’s exploration of the darker aspects of science aims to provoke thought. He highlights the potential inhumanity of scientific pursuits and suggests that humanity has the right to exact revenge when science turns against its own. The MANIAC captivates readers from the outset, plunging them into a haunting narrative that challenges their perception of the world and the consequences of scientific progress.
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