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#4241 -
The Nonduality
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"Emptiness is
everywhere and it can be calculated, which gives us a great
opportunity. I know how to control the universe. So tell me, why
should I run for a million?"
-Grigori Perelman
Math genius
Grigori Perelman explains why he turned down $1 million prize
By Nadine Bells
Russian mathematician
Grigori Perelman solved the seemingly unsolvable Poincaré
conjecture, a 100-year-old problem to prove that any shape
without a hole can be formed into a sphere.
The problem was one of
the seven listed on
The bounty on such a
solution? One million dollars and the Fields Medal, math's
equivalent of the Nobel Prize.
Considered one of the
world's smartest men, Perelman published two proofs of the
theorem in 2002 and 2003. It took until last year for a team of
mathematicians to validate his results.
While his work was
celebrated, he rejected any accolades. The reclusive genius is
only now talking about why he turned down the money.
After years of avoiding
interviews, he has agreed to participate in a documentary about
three of the world's major mathematical schools.
Despite rumours of
madman-esque reclusiveness and self-imposed poverty, a journalist
who interviewed Perelman says previous media coverage on the man
has misrepresented him:
"Perelman produces
an impression of an absolutely sane, healthy, adequate and normal
person. ... What the media say and write about him — that he
is off his head — all of that is nonsense," he wrote.
When it comes to awards
and monetary gain, Perelman just isn't interested; the genius
refused the prize, claiming the knowledge gained to be worth more
than the financial reward.
"I'm not interested
in money or fame," Perelman stated.
"Emptiness is
everywhere and it can be calculated, which gives us a great
opportunity. I know how to control the universe. So tell me, why
should I run for a million?" he told the Russian newspaper
Komsomolskaya Pravda.
~ ~ ~
Elsewhere the above
paragraph is expressed as follows:
I've learned how to
calculate the voids; along with my colleagues we are getting to
know the mechanisms for filling in the social and economic
"voids". Voids are everywhere. They can be calculated,
and this gives us great opportunities ... I know how to control
the Universe. So tell me — why should I chase a
million?
from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grigori_Perelman