Can someone please share the actual work for which he was awarded, I couldn't find.
Mathematician who made sense of the universe's randomness wins Abel Prize
11–20 of 84 posts
Re: Mathematician who made sense of the universe's randomness wins Abel Prize
#12The world needs more recognition of good mathematics and mathematicians. Really love the work quantum magazine does on covering mathematics. So many implications for the rest of the world.
I suppose for that to happen, the world needs better math lessons in school. Most have allmost traumatic experiences, so they now don't want to know anything about math at all. (I also only started to enjoy math, when I could apply it with programming, before it was not traumatic, but mostly boring, but we also did not cover any fun parts like Mandelbrot etc)
I'm always very confused by this. Why are maths lessons more traumatic than, say, history or biology or foreign language lessons? I mean learning lists of irregular verbs is not precisely most people's idea of fun. And yet only about maths do people speak with such dramatic language.
There must be something beyond what's happening in schools themselves that makes people react this way. I just can't work out what it is.
Re: Mathematician who made sense of the universe's randomness wins Abel Prize
#13The world needs more recognition of good mathematics and mathematicians. Really love the work quantum magazine does on covering mathematics. So many implications for the rest of the world.
I suppose for that to happen, the world needs better math lessons in school. Most have allmost traumatic experiences, so they now don't want to know anything about math at all. (I also only started to enjoy math, when I could apply it with programming, before it was not traumatic, but mostly boring, but we also did not cover any fun parts like Mandelbrot etc)
I don't think aptitude is the reason. A lot of people are physically unfit and have traumatic sports education experiences, probably even more so than math, but athletes remain stars.
The issue is entirely cultural. Entrepreneurs, celebrities, socialites are venerated, scientists aren't. There's no mainstream cultural recognition of scientists and science itself, at best people get attention who monetize research.
Just compare how many people know Musk but don't know who Tom Mueller is. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Mueller)
Re: Mathematician who made sense of the universe's randomness wins Abel Prize
#14Earlier quoted context omitted.
I suppose for that to happen, the world needs better math lessons in school. Most have allmost traumatic experiences, so they now don't want to know anything about math at all. (I also only started to enjoy math, when I could apply it with programming, before it was not traumatic, but mostly boring, but we also did not cover any fun parts like Mandelbrot etc)
I'm always very confused by this. Why are maths lessons more traumatic than, say, history or biology or foreign language lessons? I mean learning lists of irregular verbs is not precisely most people's idea of fun. And yet only about maths do people speak with such dramatic language. There must be something beyond what's happening in schools themselves that makes people react this way. I just can't work out what it i…
A language is something where people understand, they can use it in the real world (but french still can also be hated for example).
But Math beyond the basics is perceived as unnecessary torture, with no practical use, one has to endure to get a diploma.
So yes, my proposal would be to teach it more in a practical, applied way.
Re: Mathematician who made sense of the universe's randomness wins Abel Prize
#15Earlier quoted context omitted.
I suppose for that to happen, the world needs better math lessons in school. Most have allmost traumatic experiences, so they now don't want to know anything about math at all. (I also only started to enjoy math, when I could apply it with programming, before it was not traumatic, but mostly boring, but we also did not cover any fun parts like Mandelbrot etc)
I don't think aptitude is the reason. A lot of people are physically unfit and have traumatic sports education experiences, probably even more so than math, but athletes remain stars. The issue is entirely cultural. Entrepreneurs, celebrities, socialites are venerated, scientists aren't. There's no mainstream cultural recognition of scientists and science itself, at best people get attention who monetize research. Ju…
"A lot of people are physically unfit and have traumatic sports education experiences"
Good point, but I would argue more people are unfit for math, than unfit for sports education. (At least in europe)
"There's no mainstream cultural recognition of scientists and science itself"
With the exception of Einstein yes. And maybe Stephen Hawking.
"The issue is entirely cultural."
And yes it is, but I believe this can be changed by making math, the language of science, more approachable.
Re: Mathematician who made sense of the universe's randomness wins Abel Prize
#16The world needs more recognition of good mathematics and mathematicians. Really love the work quantum magazine does on covering mathematics. So many implications for the rest of the world.
For those who don't know, Quanta Magazine is financed by Jim Simons (from Chern-Simons theory) who became known as a very successful hedge fund manager. I just love the idea that he's using a portion of his billions to fund a little non-profit math magazine.
The world could always use more people like that.
Something something effective altruism.
It doesn't even need to be altruistic. One would expect that out of sheer self-interest, one would look into propelling humanity forward by elevating and liberating as many people as possible, enabling the brightest of our species to solve the hardest problems and elevate humanity. Though accepting that one needs others to solve problems one does not understand, that they play a supporting role, takes a great deal of humility.
Re: Mathematician who made sense of the universe's randomness wins Abel Prize
#17Earlier quoted context omitted.
I suppose for that to happen, the world needs better math lessons in school. Most have allmost traumatic experiences, so they now don't want to know anything about math at all. (I also only started to enjoy math, when I could apply it with programming, before it was not traumatic, but mostly boring, but we also did not cover any fun parts like Mandelbrot etc)
I'm always very confused by this. Why are maths lessons more traumatic than, say, history or biology or foreign language lessons? I mean learning lists of irregular verbs is not precisely most people's idea of fun. And yet only about maths do people speak with such dramatic language. There must be something beyond what's happening in schools themselves that makes people react this way. I just can't work out what it i…
Because many school Maths teachers are fundamentally bad at teaching the subject and when this abstract subject naturally is difficult for young pupils to absorb, in the end they default to "because it is that's the way it is, and you just have to learn it!", roughly put.
Re: Mathematician who made sense of the universe's randomness wins Abel Prize
#18Earlier quoted context omitted.
For those who don't know, Quanta Magazine is financed by Jim Simons (from Chern-Simons theory) who became known as a very successful hedge fund manager. I just love the idea that he's using a portion of his billions to fund a little non-profit math magazine.
The world could always use more people like that. Something something effective altruism. It doesn't even need to be altruistic. One would expect that out of sheer self-interest, one would look into propelling humanity forward by elevating and liberating as many people as possible, enabling the brightest of our species to solve the hardest problems and elevate humanity. Though accepting that one needs others to solve…
[dead]
Re: Mathematician who made sense of the universe's randomness wins Abel Prize
#19Earlier quoted context omitted.
I suppose for that to happen, the world needs better math lessons in school. Most have allmost traumatic experiences, so they now don't want to know anything about math at all. (I also only started to enjoy math, when I could apply it with programming, before it was not traumatic, but mostly boring, but we also did not cover any fun parts like Mandelbrot etc)
I'm always very confused by this. Why are maths lessons more traumatic than, say, history or biology or foreign language lessons? I mean learning lists of irregular verbs is not precisely most people's idea of fun. And yet only about maths do people speak with such dramatic language. There must be something beyond what's happening in schools themselves that makes people react this way. I just can't work out what it i…
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Re: Mathematician who made sense of the universe's randomness wins Abel Prize
#20Yes, it’s the equivalent to the Nobel in that it’s yearly with a big monetary prize, but the most prestigious award in the field remains the Fields medal, which is only awarded every four years.
The age limit of 40 kind of ruins the Fields medal as the top prize tho. Sure, getting it is absolutely huge, but what about the people whose work's value is apparent only after decades?