4 ms·

Galois’ Last Letter (2008)

29 points by Hooke 5y ago

deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
twelfthnight 5y ago
EDIT: Oops, comment came off more snarky than I intended. Replies are well noted. (I don't appear to be able to delete the comment) > We all remember the last words of Evariste Galois to his brother Alfred. Yes, yes of course I know exactly what the author is talking about! Those famous words, I can basically recite them from memory! Please go on, friend, no need to suspect I'm unaware at all! :sweat smile:
- AnimalMuppet 5y ago
  I believe it's the quote in French at the top. Google Translate gives: "Don't cry, Alfred! I need all my courage to die at twenty!"
- QuesnayJr 5y ago
  Neverendingbooks was a blog for mathematicians, particularly algebraists. (Galois was arguably the first modern algebraist.) Anyway, post begins with the quote.
- pmoriarty 5y ago
  HN Guidelines[1]: "Be kind. Don't be snarky. ... Please don't sneer ... Please don't post shallow dismissals." [1] - https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
  - dTal 5y ago
    Were I in a waggish mood, I would have simply replied to you with your own comment, verbatim. I think GP was not snarky, but carried a tone of embarrassment at their own ignorance (which was generous, as indeed we do not "all remember" it).
- juancn 5y ago
  Also, we all speak french! (actually 3.5% of people do).
rsj_hn 5y ago
Here is an english translation of the full letter. A tour de force. https://www.ias.ac.in/article/fulltext/reso/004/10/0093-0100 https://www.ias.ac.in/article/fulltext/reso/004/10/0093-0100 The end of the letter, after making revolutionary advancements in group theory, solvability by radicals, and modular forms: "You will get this Letter printed in the Revue Encyclopedique. I have often dared in my life to advance propositions about which I was not sure, but all that I have written down has been in my mind for over an year, and it would not be too much in my interest to make mistakes so that one suspects me of having announced theorems of which I would not have a complete proof. You make a public request to Jacobi and Gauss to give their opinion, not as to the truth but as to the importance of these theorems. After this, I hope there will be people who will profit by deciphering all this mess. I embrace you effusively."

29 points by Hooke 5y ago

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]

EDIT: Oops, comment came off more snarky than I intended. Replies are well noted. (I don't appear to be able to delete the comment) > We all remember the last words of Evariste Galois to his brother Alfred. Yes, yes of course I know exactly what the author is talking about! Those famous words, I can basically recite them from memory! Please go on, friend, no need to suspect I'm unaware at all! :sweat smile:

AnimalMuppet 5y ago
I believe it's the quote in French at the top. Google Translate gives: "Don't cry, Alfred! I need all my courage to die at twenty!"
QuesnayJr 5y ago
Neverendingbooks was a blog for mathematicians, particularly algebraists. (Galois was arguably the first modern algebraist.) Anyway, post begins with the quote.
pmoriarty 5y ago
HN Guidelines[1]: "Be kind. Don't be snarky. ... Please don't sneer ... Please don't post shallow dismissals." [1] - https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
- dTal 5y ago
  Were I in a waggish mood, I would have simply replied to you with your own comment, verbatim. I think GP was not snarky, but carried a tone of embarrassment at their own ignorance (which was generous, as indeed we do not "all remember" it).
juancn 5y ago
Also, we all speak french! (actually 3.5% of people do).

rsj_hn 5y ago

Here is an english translation of the full letter. A tour de force. https://www.ias.ac.in/article/fulltext/reso/004/10/0093-0100 https://www.ias.ac.in/article/fulltext/reso/004/10/0093-0100 The end of the letter, after making revolutionary advancements in group theory, solvability by radicals, and modular forms: "You will get this Letter printed in the Revue Encyclopedique. I have often dared in my life to advance propositions about which I was not sure, but all that I have written down has been in my mind for over an year, and it would not be too much in my interest to make mistakes so that one suspects me of having announced theorems of which I would not have a complete proof. You make a public request to Jacobi and Gauss to give their opinion, not as to the truth but as to the importance of these theorems. After this, I hope there will be people who will profit by deciphering all this mess. I embrace you effusively."