3 ms·
Right? It's baffling.
by mjd 2y ago
Right? It's baffling.
- seanhunter 2y agoThe title is specifically referring to a possible reassessment of his later, quasi-mystical writings, post retirement from mathematics in 1970. It’s a bit too long for the HN title submission but the actual article title in the Guardian is “ ‘He was in mystic delirium’: was this hermit mathematician a forgotten genius whose ideas could transform AI – or a lonely madman?”
- Yeul 2y agoWhy not both? Crazy people can be smart. As for mystic delirium well that's our modern sensibilities talking. Hell there are people today who believe in Marian apparitions.
- wslh 2y agoWasn't Newton a mystic too? Yes, he was [1]. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Newton%27s_occult_studies https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Newton%27s_occult_studie...
- throwaway81523 2y agoHe left IHÉS around 1970 but he stayed active in math, and he kept working as a math professor and later at the CNRS (French research institute). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Grothendieck#Manuscripts_written_in_the_1980s https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Grothendieck#Manuscr...