# Definition of Insanity
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-insanity/557452
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [October 17, 2010, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-insanity/557452 "2010-10-17T16:34:31Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2010, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-insanity/557452/1 "2010-10-17T16:34:31Z")
Who first said “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Most say Einstein but there is a strong Ben Franklin contingent. Which is correct?
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### Author:  [@Gil-Martin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gil-Martin)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2010, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-insanity/557452/2 "2010-10-17T16:40:39Z")
I first read the sentence in question in a corporate sponsored class on management and communications, of all places. Stephen Covey perhaps? :rolleyes:
Anyway, I just typed that saying into Google and the top several hits were for “Einstein quotations,” so my best guess is that Albert either came up with this saying or at least popularized it.
Have a great day. Gil.
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### Author:  [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2010, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-insanity/557452/3 "2010-10-17T17:06:04Z")
> [@Gil-Martin](#):
>
> Anyway, I just typed that saying into Google and the top several hits were for “Einstein quotations,” so my best guess is that Albert either came up with this saying or at least popularized it.
Or that Einstein never said it, but people attribute it to him because using a famous smart person legitimizes the quote.
It almost certainly was neither Franklin nor Einstein, but somebody [less famous](http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin).
> [@](#):
>
> The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
>
> Misattributed to various people, including Albert Einstein and Mark Twain. The earliest known occurrence, and probable origin is Rita Mae Brown, Sudden Death (Bantam Books, New York, 1983), p. 68.
Maybe samclem will drop in and let us know if an earlier cite has been found.
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### Author:  [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2010, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-insanity/557452/4 "2010-10-17T18:05:59Z")
I first encountered it in the book _Narcotics Anonymous_ (the “Big Book” equivalent for NA), which has a 1982 copyright.