Re: Whacko Russian Declines Field Medal

Pete Dashwood wrote:

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.

Exactly. Certifiable, head-to-the-lab whacko.

[...]

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

And deprive so many of the joy of giving?

Seriously, though, the absense of greed is symptomatic of significant
pathological disease or defect. No, if he liked doing what he was doing
anyway, his thought processes are seriously flawed if he did not realize he
could do more of it, or do it better, with $1 million in his pocket.


.

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