Re: Whacko Russian Declines Field Medal


"HeyBub" <heybubNOSPAM@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:12emh9iiahr99d8@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The Nobel Prize of Mathematics, awarded every four years was refused by a
Russian recluse who proved the Poincare conjecture, "topologically, a
rabbit is the same as a sphere." Not a REAL rabbit, mind you, more like a
chocolate rabbit; one with no holes. (Real rabbits have holes, several, as
a matter of fact.)

Grigory Perelman, the winner, will evidently join up with Bobby Fisher to
form a dance team.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=2341460



Dr. Grisha Perelman lives in a world most of us cannot imagine. He did not
reject the Fields Medal out of arrogance; neither is he a "Whacko" (or
"wacko"). He solved a problem and posted the solution on the internet four
years ago. His intention was to make it publicly available, not to seek
fame, wealth, or kudos. (Had he wanted the latter he would have gone through
the usual submission process to an established University.) He simply
doesn't see the relevance of a million dollars or fame for doing something
he would be doing anyway, and, in his universe, anything other than the
exploration of multi-dimensional topologies is of little importance.

Have a look at this... it is NOT a Press release where they seek to
sensationalise behaviour they make no attempt to respect or understand:
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/poincare-conjecture.html

My own assessment is that he possibly will share some of the cash
eventually, probably because it will improve the life of his mother.

If this man is "wacko" mad, then it is a fine madness and the world could
use some more of it...

Pete.


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