How did a computer scientist such as Geoffrey Hinton manage to win a Nobel Prize in physics when computer science already has its own Nobel Prize equivalent in the Turing Awards?
11.06.2025 00:55
In awarding prizes, the Nobel Committees often seem only marginally more competent than MTG is at explaining meteorology. And if they can give a literature prize for lyrics like:
(Bob Dylan, Nobel Prize for Literature, 2016)
^† They rationalise their decision thusly:
You can have your cake and eat it too
"Good point, I'm sure we can swing it. And let's tack on Hopfield while we're about it."
"Didn't he do something with Boltzmann in it? That sounds physics-y. RBMs and stuff, eh?"
Washington governor activates National Guard in search for accused killer, Travis Decker - KATU
Whatever.
^* Fibiger got the 1926 Medicine prize for the discovery of Spiroptera carcinoma (Don’t ask).
They then move on to selectively provide their own version of history. But hey, it’s OK. They wanted controversy, didn’t they? Whatever.
What is the general opinion of psychologists on Donald Trump's presidency?
… then anything is possible. There’s no rule that a Nobel Prize has to make sense.^*
There you go.^†
Why wait any longer for the world to begin?
Can you turn 150 pages into a 5 minute presentation before a meeting?
Why wait any longer for the one you love?
My 11 million SEK, Dr Jo.
Whatever.
How do I run away? I'm 15 and live in Oklahoma.
[The basic structure of artificial neural networks] has close similarities with spin models in statistical physics applied to magnetism or alloy theory. This year’s Nobel Prize in Physics recognizes research exploiting this connection to make breakthrough methodological advances in the field of ANN.
A fly on the wall at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
"Hey guys, AI is pretty big so let's centre our prizes on it this year. We can get some attention, and it's all about advertising, at the end of the day, isn't it?"
Algorithm to analyze smartphone app data can predict MS symptoms - Multiple Sclerosis News Today
Fortunately, we are privy to the discussion that led up to this:
"Good idea, but how can we wangle something that says 'Physics'?"
(Mumbles of assent)
Is anal sex allowed in Islam? It's not written anywhere in the Quran whether it's forbidden or not.
When he's standing, in front of you
[Older voice] "Mmm. What about Hinton, he's widely regarded? Nobody got fired for buying IBM"
In December 1973, when Kissinger was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, comedian Tom Lehrer dropped his mic and stamped on it—satire had just died.
How do you help patients stop hearing voices?
[Younger voice] "But wait a minute, Ising-Lenz goes back to the 1920's. And didn't Hinton plagiarise rather a lot? He also didn't invent modern backprop, did he, that's Linnainmaa? And Amari preceded Hopfield, too. That's not a good look."
"Naah, Linnainmaa is a Finn. Can't give it to a bloody Finnish mathematician. Let's go for drinks. Brännvin anyone?"
"Where can we shoehorn it in? Chemistry is easy 'cos AlphaFold; but what about physics? A bit more challenging, right?"
Ukraine attacks Russian aircraft in far-reaching drone strikes - The Washington Post