4 ms·
It is perhaps unfortunate, but it is possible that Poincare will be the biggest and final work of Perelman. He has shut down his professional connections, and i
by xxxyy 12y ago
It is perhaps unfortunate, but it is possible that Poincare will be the biggest and final work of Perelman. He has shut down his professional connections, and it is rumored that he has simply burned out. I hope to be wrong. Either way he is a remarkable person, and will be remembered.
- mythealias 12y agoIt might be he is burned out with all the politics surrounding the claim of his work but not with the work in general. People who enjoy doing something rarely get burned out doing it lifelong. From the newyorker article linked by deuill: The prospect of being awarded a Fields Medal had forced him to make a complete break with his profession. “As long as I was not conspicuous, I had a choice,” Perelman explained. “Either to make some ugly thing”—a fuss about the math community’s lack of integrity—“or, if I didn’t do this kind of thing, to be treated as a pet. Now, when I become a very conspicuous person, I cannot stay a pet and say nothing. That is why I had to quit.” We asked Perelman whether, by refusing the Fields and withdrawing from his profession, he was eliminating any possibility of influencing the discipline. “I am not a politician!” he replied, angrily. http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2006/08/28/manifold-destiny http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2006/08/28/manifold-destin...
- this_user 12y agoAccording to his Wikipedia article citing a French source he may be working on at least one of the other six problems. Seems like he mainly wants to be left alone so his withdrawal from the world is not surprising and may just be a way to fade back into obscurity so he can focus on his work.