Here are additional selected citations in chronological order starting in 1933.Īlice Calaprice the editor of “The Ultimate Quotable Einstein” presented the following 1933 precursor quotation and comment in her reference work : Zukofsky also incorporated the saying in section A-12 of his massive poem titled “A”. Professor Mark Scroggins who has specialist knowledge of Zukofsky believes that the poet probably acquired the aphorism by reading the article by Sessions. The wording used by Sessions and Zukofsky is the same, and it differs somewhat from the most common modern version of the quote. There is also the other side of the coin minted by Einstein: “Everything should be as simple as it can be, but not simpler” – a scientist’s defense of art and knowledge – of lightness, completeness and accuracy. The saying was credited to Einstein and placed inside quotation marks by Zukofsky. In June of 1950 the maxim appeared in the journal Poetry in a book review written by the prominent modernist poet Louis Zukofsky. Indeed, Einstein did express a similar idea using different words as shown by the 1933 citation given further below. Since Sessions used the locution “in effect” he was signaling the possibility that he was paraphrasing Einstein and not presenting his exact words. He said, in effect, that everything should be as simple as it can be but not simpler! I also remember a remark of Albert Einstein, which certainly applies to music. The New York Times published an article by the composer Roger Sessions on Janutitled “How a ‘Difficult’ Composer Gets That Way”, and it included a version of the saying attributed to Einstein : The earliest known appearance of the aphorism was located by poet and scholar Mark Scroggins and later independently by top-flight quotation researcher Ken Hirsch. This quotation prompts the most queries it appeared in Reader’s Digest in July 1977, with no documentation. Quote Investigator: The reference work “The Ultimate Quotable Einstein” published in 2010 is the most comprehensive source for reliable information about the sayings of Albert Einstein, and it states : I like this saying because it compactly articulates the principle of Occam’s razor. I would like to know if the following is a real Einstein quote or if it is apocryphal:Įverything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler. Hence a large number of spurious quotes are attributed to him. Popularized by famed Aeronautical engineer Kelly Johnson, KISS is now used in design circles to improve user experience, educational environments to enhance learning outcomes, and leadership training to maintain a first-things-first approach.Albert Einstein? Louis Zukofsky? Roger Sessions? William of Ockham? Anonymous?ĭear Quote Investigator: The credibility of a quotation is increased substantially if it can be ascribed to a widely-recognized genius such as Albert Einstein. Keep It Simple Stupid (KISS) is an efficiency framework which emphasizes keeping every step within a process as simple as possible. ![]() Then he delivered the immortal Constellation, which revolutionized commercial aviation.(2) Here is a little bit of history on Clarence Leonard “Kelly” Johnson, the geek who made "Keep It Simple Stupid" a popular phrase in the world of science and technology.Ĭlarence Leonard “Kelly” Johnson was a pathbreaking aeronautical engineer who worked for Lockheed Aircraft for over four decades.(1)ĭuring World War II, he designed the speedy P-38 Lightning, which pummeled destroyers and intercepted enemy fighters and bombers from Berlin to Tokyo late in the war his team developed America’s first operational jet fighter, the P-80, in less than six months. I love to talk about the forgotten geeks in the world of science and technology. ![]() The phrase "Keep It Simple Stupid" has been associated with aircraft engineer Kelly Johnson in the 1960s. KISS is often used as an acronym for "Keep It Simple Stupid." Like many acronyms we use today, they have their origins in the military. The example illustrated my theme: "Simple ideas, Powerful concepts." People don't want an internal combustion engine propelling a set of steel-belted radials, they want a mode of transportation. In my teaching I used the example from a Mazda commercial with a great tag line, "it just feels right." Over the years I have used the theme of "Simple ideas, Powerful concepts" in a sales seminar I gave to small business people. ![]() I have often talked about the doctrine of "keep it simple stupid." In much of my writing and teaching over the years, I have tried to maintain the theme of "geek speak made simple." In educating people about technology my goal is to have my message understood by any reasonably intelligent person.
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