Scott Alexander has written several pieces mentioning Von Neumann. This is one of them: https://slatestarcodex.com/2017/05/26/the-atomic-bomb-considered-as-hung

Scott Alexander has written several pieces mentioning Von Neumann. This is one of them: https://slatestarcodex.com/2017/05/26/the-atomic-bomb-considered-as-hungarian-high-school-science-fair-project/ https://slatestarcodex.com/2017/05/26/the-atomic-bomb-consid... From what I recall, there was a singular time and place from which many exceptional people were born. They were Jewish Hungarians, born prior to WW2. He was an exceptional person that happened to be born at the right time and place for it to be fully realized.