News for hackers. Stuff that matters.

A comment on Ask cperciva: Are great mathematicians born or made?.

Re:Ask cperciva: Are great mathematicians born or made? by LPTS on Thursday June 26, 2008 @01:49AM (#228307)
Very great mathematicians are born. You're either born as Ramanujan or Erdos or you're never going to be Ramanujan or Erdos. No way around it.

But, merely pretty damn good mathematicians can work really good and be a thousandth as useful as an Erdos or Ramanujan.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Ask cperciva: Are great mathematicians born or made? by andreyf on Thursday June 26, 2008 @03:33AM (#228351)
I'm pretty sure most people wouldn't want live the life of Erdos...
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Ask cperciva: Are great mathematicians born or made? by cperciva on Thursday June 26, 2008 @06:58AM (#228447)
* I'm pretty sure most people wouldn't want live the life of Erdos...*

Come on... travelling the world and couch-surfing for years on end, while having no financial concerns at all? I think most people would love to live that life.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Ask cperciva: Are great mathematicians born or made? by andreyf on Thursday June 26, 2008 @03:38PM (#228999)
For a bit, sure, but I'd imagine sooner or later, most people get tired of doing math 16-20 hours a day and want to start a family or something.
[ Parent | on HN ]