he 50th anniversary of the death of John von Neumann, the mathematical genius who, as a Hungarian exile, took up residence at Princeton University, was celebrated in October 2007 with a series of events sponsored by the Templeton Foundation. These took the form of lectures and symposia that attracted a large number of distinguished contributors.
John von Neumann (1903-1957) was one of the most creative scientists of the 20th century. His exceptional intellect was reinforced by a photographic memory: even as a child he was able to memorize a page from a telephone directory and recite its contents. Aside from his involvement in the creation of both the atomic and hydrogen bombs, von Neumann contributed to the development of computers, game theory, and the understanding of the quantum world.