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Announcements of the 2012 Nobel Prizes

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kottila

Member
Not even close when it comes to international media exposure and in the end that's what the prizes are about. Not to mention Fields is only given out every four year.

Comparable when it comes to the status within their field and prize money (at least the Abel). "normal" people don't care that much about the physics and chemistry prizes already and I don't think an added math prize would improve peoples view on maths (it would be impossible for anyone to understand what the prize was afforded for)
 

Waaghals

Member
Obviously the point of the prize is to remind people of the bigger picture that the union is a lot more than the euro crisis. It's no coincidence EU was awarded this year.

I see your point, I'm just not sure if it will have the desired effect.
 

FACE

Banned
Also what CiSTM wrote below me. No one in society knows jack shit about mathematicians. Hell, I'm one and I barely know some outside of my field.

Comparable when it comes to the status within their field and prize money (at least the Abel). "normal" people don't care that much about the physics and chemistry prizes already and I don't think an added math prize would improve peoples view on maths (it would be impossible for anyone to understand what the prize was afforded for)

WELL, THAT'S BECAUSE SOCIETY SUCKS!

*pouts*
 

kottila

Member
WELL, THAT'S BECAUSE SOCIETY SUCKS!

*pouts*

I'm a scientist and I've tried to read up on math prizes, but can't understand more than the first few lines of text, while the chemistry and medicine are easy with the physics a bit harder. A math prize more aimed at mathematical influence in society could be an interesting idea
 

FACE

Banned
I'm a scientist and I've tried to read up on math prizes, but can't understand more than the first few lines of text, while the chemistry and medicine are easy with the physics a bit harder. A math prize more aimed at mathematical influence in society could be an interesting idea

I've tried to read a few more advanced maths papers and this is basically what happened:

1961030_orudio.gif


I was trying to be funny, but I'm consistently not good at it. ):
 

dionysus

Yaldog
I'm a scientist and I've tried to read up on math prizes, but can't understand more than the first few lines of text, while the chemistry and medicine are easy with the physics a bit harder. A math prize more aimed at mathematical influence in society could be an interesting idea

Coming from my engineering perspective, the highest level math that is actually used by society is partial differential equations and linear algebra. That kind of stuff goes into building modeling software that is then used to generate climate models, build plant models, model aerodynamics, etc etc.

I guess what I am saying is that the frontier of math is so far beyond the frontier of engineering, ie what actually impacts people's lives, I am not sure who they would target with such a prize.
 

kottila

Member
I'm a mathematician. Outside of my specific field it all sounds like an alien language. The differences between the mathematical fields are enormous and unfortunately even simple results often require a significant amount of understanding. Even explaining e.g. an algorithm to colleagues from (roughly) the same field can be very difficult.

Mathematics is an extremely fractured, wide and diverse science. Long gone are the times where a mathematician was able to have an understanding of its entirety, the last was said to be Hilbert about a hundred years ago.

And you guys want your own nobel prize...
 
Deserved. The reasoning behind it is sound as well.

It's just that with recent events and the bitterness of people, the price might be seen as ironic, even though it's probably meant as a reenforcement byt the committee.
 

Oersted

Member
Riots in the streets, people losing constantly money and jobs, a huge democracy deficit (undeniable)... there are obviously organisations which deserved it more .
 

Parallacs

Member
Congratulations EU!

It looks like the prize this year is €760,000

I’m assuming the eligible population is 502MM. That comes out to €0.0015 per person!

I think it would be wise to write the Noble Prize Committee early to make sure you get your earnings!

Not too controversial a pick based on how much they have done for Greece and other struggling nations. I just hate awards like this, like Time's stupid person of the year mirror. I think the award is much more effective when targeted at a single person responsible for changing the world. It serves as inspiration.
 

CiSTM

Banned
Riots in the streets, people losing constantly money and jobs, a huge democracy deficit (undeniable)... there are obviously organisations which deserved it more .
The Nobel Peace Prize 2012 was awarded to European Union (EU) "for over six decades contributed to the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe.

Spot on if you ask me.
 

CassSept

Member
As in EU members in wars against eachother, not against the dirty communists (or "peace keeping missions")

I was talking more about Yugoslavia, yeah, it's not EU but it is very much so in Europe. I was more referring to "longest period of peace in Europe" part.
 

kottila

Member
I was talking more about Yugoslavia, yeah, it's not EU but it is very much so in Europe. I was more referring to "longest period of peace in Europe" part.

Yeah, I oversold the fact, was longest period without wae between the member states (plus the non-membering Western European countries as well?)
 

Lamel

Banned
We recently learned about he Tadpole experiment in cell biology. Really cool. I'm surprised he's JUST getting the nobel prize for it.
 

sazzy

Member
Just wanted to say to the guy who said, why isn't there a Nobel Prize for Mathematics...

It's because each of these 'wins' is a.prize for mathematics.

You cannot have science without mathematics.
 

Loona

Member
That's true but it does bug me that literature has elevated in such high position and other arts ignored. Best option would be get rid off it once and for all or start giving nobel to some aging artist (literature or anyother) and it could work as life time achievment award.

It's easier to sell the output of a literature laureate to the general public than that of a physicist, it's not wonder that gets highlighted more.
 
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