Von Neumann
First appears in Book 1: The Three-Body Problem, chapter 17 (17)
Appearances
What you know
Book 1: The Three-Body Problem
- Ch 17Von Neumann proposes a human-wave computer of thirty million soldiers to numerically solve the differential equations predicting the three suns' motion.
- Ch 17Von Neumann tells a Sichuan-accented joke about soldiers in straw and cloth shoes, which convinces Wang he is a real, almost certainly Chinese, person rather than a program.
- Ch 17Von Neumann demonstrates logic gates (AND, OR, NOT and others) using three soldiers raising black or white flags to represent 1 and 0.
- Ch 17As the world was destroyed, Von Neumann realized electronic gate circuits could build far faster, smaller computers, and tried to tell the emperor.
Book 2: The Dark Forest
- Ch 3Von Neumann is appointed First Wallbreaker, assigned to Frederick Tyler.
- Ch 4Von Neumann was the first successful Wallbreaker and rose rapidly in the organization; he is jealous of Luo Ji's importance.
- Ch 5He considers Zhang Beihai critical and dangerous.
Connections
- createdQin Idesigned it with Newton
- member ofQin Shi Huangserves as advisor at his court
- enemy ofFrederick TylerWallbreaker of
Key moments
- Book 1 · Ch 17Newton duels Leibniz
Newton defeats Leibniz in a swordfight over who invented calculus, then introduces himself to Wang while Von Neumann tries to stop the fight.
- Book 1 · Ch 17Von Neumann demonstrates logic gates
Before the First Emperor, Von Neumann uses three soldiers with flags to demonstrate logic gates, persuading him to commit thirty million soldiers to a human computer.
- Book 1 · Ch 17Qin I is activated
The Computer Formation boots, locks up due to a faulty CPU gate, is repaired by beheading that gate's soldiers, then runs the Three Body 1.0 orbit software and completes its first computation.
- Book 1 · Ch 17Tri-solar syzygy destroys the Three Body world
As the first sun rises, the astronomy minister reveals three aligned suns. Their combined gravity lifts everything, including the pyramid, the computer's men and the oceans, into space. Atmosphere is lost and the emperor dies. Civilization 184 ends.
- Book 2 · Ch 3Wallbreaker Project launched
In the Three Body game, Qin Shi Huang appoints Von Neumann, Mozi and Aristotle as Wallbreakers for Tyler, Rey Diaz and Hines. Luo Ji is declared his own Wallbreaker.
- Book 2 · Ch 4Command to destroy Luo Ji
In a dark gathering of figures from many eras, Qin Shi Huang announces the Lord's command to destroy Wallfacer Luo Ji.
- Book 2 · Ch 4Secret meeting on assassinating Luo Ji
Qin Shi Huang's organization discusses the Lord's second order to kill Luo Ji, finds a direct attack impossible against the deep bunker, and is told to submit plans.
- Book 2 · Ch 5Three Body figures debate response
Virtual Three Body figures discuss Zhang Beihai's act, agree not to intervene, judge him dangerous but unprovable, and are relieved he will go to the future.