Welcome to our collection of insightful quotes by John McCarthy, a pioneering figure in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). As one of the founders of this groundbreaking discipline, McCarthy’s words encapsulate the essence of AI, its potentials, and its implications for the future of humanity. With a career marked by profound contributions and visionary thinking, McCarthy’s quotes serve as guiding lights for both seasoned professionals and aspiring enthusiasts in the realm of AI and computer science.
Throughout his illustrious career, John McCarthy championed the exploration of intelligent systems and computational thinking, laying the groundwork for the development of AI technologies that continue to shape our world today. His profound insights delve into the complexities of machine intelligence, the ethical considerations surrounding its advancement, and the symbiotic relationship between humans and machines in the digital age. With each quote, McCarthy invites us to ponder the nature of intelligence, the role of technology in society, and the boundless possibilities that lie ahead in the ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence.
If I owned Marseilles and Hell, I’d rent out Marseilles and live in Hell. John McCarthy
It is said that man doesn’t live by bread alone. Sometimes this is unfortunate, because people who cannot live by bread alone too often kill other people in consequence of the fights they get into. John McCarthy
Committing genocide on behalf of an institution generates greater loyalty to it than merely getting people fired from their jobs on its behalf. John McCarthy
Suicidal terrorists may have short shelf lives. John McCarthy
Inside of many liberals is a fascist struggling to get out. John McCarthy
A true intellectual is a man who, after reading a book and being convinced by its arguments, will shoot someone or, more likely, order someone shot. John McCarthy
When I see a slippery slope, my instinct is to build a terrace. John McCarthy
An excessive knowledge of Marxism is a sign of a misspent youth. John McCarthy
Alas few socialists are either benevolent enough to work hard at these occupations out of benevolence or self-interested enough to work hard at them for money. John McCarthy
Honor among thieves is the ancestor of all honor. John McCarthy
Don’t try to talk anyone out of concentrating his hatred on Ayn Rand or any other dead person. It can’t harm the dead. Diverted to a living person, it might actually do harm. John McCarthy
Language is froth on the surface of thought. John McCarthy
Self-righteousness has killed more people than smoking. John McCarthy
We modern Marxists regard socialism as a historically brief transitional stage between feudalism and capitalism, necessary only in backward countries. John McCarthy
When thugs by nature meet thugs by political conviction, 5-0 is not surprising. John McCarthy
Hardly anyone has noticed that in the Northern Hemisphere people stir their drinks counterclockwise, whereas the same people stir their drinks clockwise when visiting the Southern Hemisphere. John McCarthy
The slogan was ‘Don’t trust anyone over thirty’. Sixty years later the slogan became, ‘Don’t trust anyone over ninety’. John McCarthy
Soccer riots kill at most tens. Intellectuals’ ideological riots sometimes kill millions. John McCarthy
Foolishness is rarely a matter of lack of intelligence or even lack of information. John McCarthy
If a person can be said to have the wrong attitude, there is no need to pay attention to his arguments. John McCarthy
Amateur bureaucrats are often even worse than professional bureaucrats. John McCarthy
My opinion is that he’s a swindler and you’re a sucker. John McCarthy
With no more than six levels of misquotation, any statement can be made to say whatever you wish. John McCarthy
A declining institution often experiences survival of the unfittest. John McCarthy
My hobby of not attending meetings about recycling saves more energy than your hobby of recycling. John McCarthy
The peace movement is a great force for peace. Some of the world’s most quarrelsome people act out their aggressions through the peace movement. John McCarthy
His ambition is to be the spider in the World Wide Web. John McCarthy
Of course, Third World leaders love you. By ascribing third world ills to First World sins, you absolve them of blame for their countries’ failure to advance. John McCarthy
In human history, the desire for revenge and the desire for loot have often been closely associated. John McCarthy
Slogans rarely convince the unconvinced. However, they do rally the troops already on your side. John McCarthy
There is only one thing more harmful to society than an elected official forgetting the promises he made in order to get elected; that’s when he doesn’t forget them. John McCarthy
Once a person has killed other people on behalf of an ideology, he becomes rather devoted to it. John McCarthy
Proposals to forbid golf courses have about the same motivations as proposals to forbid skate boarding, although the rationalizations are different. John McCarthy
An extreme optimist is a man who believes that humanity will probably survive even if it doesn’t take his advice. John McCarthy
The difference between a contemporary liberal and a socialist is that to a liberal the most beautiful word in the English language is ‘forbidden’, whereas to a socialist the most beautiful word is ‘compulsory’. John McCarthy
He who refuses to do arithmetic is doomed to talk nonsense. John McCarthy
Compassion is contempt with a human face. John McCarthy
Never abandon a theory that explains something until you have a theory that explains more. John McCarthy
Asking a critic to name his favorite book is like asking a butcher to name his favorite pig. John McCarthy
Hard distinctions make bad philosophy. John McCarthy
Both politicians and journalists face situations which strain their honesty and humanity. My opinion is that politicians on the average stand up somewhat better than journalists. John McCarthy
