There’s a story about Eisenhower. It was his time that we began to realize what an important thing the computer was. He’s said to have gone into a room full of computers and put the question, “Is there a God?”
The computers worked around and lights flashed and wheels turned and all that kind of thing. Finally a voice came out and said, “Now there is.”
Today’s quote was originally going to be “A computer is like an Old Testament god, with a lot of rules and no mercy.” This quote is frequently attributed to Joseph Campbell. However, when I tried to find the original source of the quote, the closest I could come was the following passage from “The Hero’s Journey: Joseph Campbell on His Life and Work” by Joseph Campbell, Phil Cousineau, and Stuart L. Brown (page 201):
BROWN: I remember you telling me once a great story about Eisenhower and the computer during the 1950s.
CAMPBELL: Oh, yes. There’s a story about Eisenhower. It was his time that we began to realize what an important thing the computer was. He’s said to have gone into a room full of computers and put the question, “Is there a God?”The computers worked around and lights flashed and wheels turned and all that kind of thing. Finally a voice came out and said, “Now there is.”
So I’ve got a god in the room here. I know a lot about gods and I have found what god this is by the way it behaves. This is the God of the Old Testament: a lot of rules and no mercy. And if he catches you picking up sticks on Saturday you’re finished.”
So, it turns out that one of my favorite quotes may very well be utterly miscited. If anyone out there thinks they know another source that may re-validate the original quotation, please let me know!
Source: Google Books
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