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Raoul Bott: Difference between revisions
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[[File:Dror-Bar-Natan-Eric-Weinstein-Raoul-Bott.jpg|thumb|Dror Bar-Natan, Eric Weinstein, and Raoul Bott]] | [[File:Dror-Bar-Natan-Eric-Weinstein-Raoul-Bott.jpg|thumb|Dror Bar-Natan, Eric Weinstein, and Raoul Bott]] | ||
Raoul Bott, the renowned Hungarian-American mathematician, holds a special place in the reflections and tributes of Eric Weinstein, as captured in various podcast appearances and social media posts. Weinstein portrays Bott not only as a towering figure in topology and geometry but also as a personal hero who played a pivotal role in his academic journey. Through these accounts, Bott emerges as a mentor, savior, and intellectual giant whose discoveries and kindness left an indelible mark. | |||
== Bott as a Mathematical Luminary == | |||
Weinstein frequently highlights Bott's groundbreaking work, particularly Bott Periodicity, which he describes as one of the most important mathematical discoveries of the 20th century. In a 2024 appearance on the Modern Wisdom podcast, Weinstein explains it as an "incredible fact" involving four number systems with eightfold symmetry, likening it to "graffiti from a higher mind" that forms the foundation of understanding the world. Earlier tweets from 2009 delve into technical aspects, exploring how Bott Periodicity relates to tensor operations among non-octal division algebras, octonions (referred to as Cayleys), exceptional Lie groups like F4 and E6-8, and elliptic cohomology as a potential k-theoretic refinement requiring extensions via exceptionals. These posts pose questions about large exceptional Lie groups and geometric models of elliptic cohomology theories, underscoring Bott's influence on advanced mathematical concepts. | |||
Bott's colleagues and collaborators also feature prominently. Weinstein notes Bott's close associations with figures like [[Michael Atiyah]] and [[Isadore Singer]], comparing Bott and Atiyah to the "Watson and Crick of mathematics" for their transformative impact. In a 2019 thread mourning Atiyah's death, Weinstein discusses their shared work on vector bundles, quantum field theory, and influences on physicists like [[Ed Witten]] and Graeme Segal. He clarifies that while Bott and Singer worked in similar areas—both claiming the "greatest topological theorem" of the century—they never co-authored papers despite living in adjacent ZIP codes (02138 and 02139). | |||
Weinstein ranks Bott among the most enduring minds, alongside [[Isadore Singer|Is Singer]] and [[Jim Watson|James Watson]], as figures whose contributions will likely be discussed in 1000 years. | |||
== Personal Influence and Gratitude == | |||
Beyond mathematics, Weinstein's accounts reveal a deeply personal connection. In multiple reflections, including a 2020 Lex Fridman Podcast episode, he describes himself as a self-advised PhD student whose thesis required formal approval. Bott, as a Harvard professor, "lent his name" as advisor—acting like a "mensch lends a surname to a bastard"—to help Weinstein navigate institutional barriers. This act, alongside support from Dror Bar-Natan, is credited with "heroically saving" Weinstein's PhD from his own university 20 years prior. Weinstein critiques academic systems, such as the Math Genealogy Project and h-index metrics, for failing to accurately portray outliers like himself. | |||
In a 2016 thread, Weinstein expresses sadness over lacking a traditional mathematical lineage, admitting he delayed thanking Bott and Bar-Natan due to viewing his need for a PhD as a personal weakness. By 2020, he publicly grapples with resentment toward his "rescuers," regretting not inviting Bott to his wedding and wrestling with whether to share his full story. A 2021 thread tributing Singer upon his death intertwines the two mathematicians, portraying them as part of an "underground railroad" that rescued Weinstein when the system failed. Weinstein recounts walking between their offices at MIT and Harvard, and notes a New York Times obituary for Singer that included his quotes. | |||
== Quotes == | |||
<blockquote> | <blockquote> | ||
''Like, for example, I don't have an advisor for my PhD, but I have to have an advisor as far as something called the Math Genealogy project that tracks who advised whom, down the line. So I am my own advisor, which sets up a loop, right? How many students do I have? An infinite number—or descendants. They don't want to have that story. So I have to be—to have "formal advisor Raoul Bott". And my Wikipedia entry, for example, says that I was advised by Raoul Bott, which is not true. So you get fit into a system that says, Well, we have to know what your h-index is, we have to know, you know, where are you a professor, if you want to apply for a grant. It makes all of these assumptions. What I'm trying to do is to, in part, to show all of this is nonsense. This is proxy BS that came up in the institutional setting.'' | ''Like, for example, I don't have an advisor for my PhD, but I have to have an advisor as far as something called the Math Genealogy project that tracks who advised whom, down the line. So I am my own advisor, which sets up a loop, right? How many students do I have? An infinite number—or descendants. They don't want to have that story. So I have to be—to have "formal advisor [[Raoul Bott]]". And my Wikipedia entry, for example, says that I was advised by [[Raoul Bott]], which is not true. So you get fit into a system that says, Well, we have to know what your h-index is, we have to know, you know, where are you a professor, if you want to apply for a grant. It makes all of these assumptions. What I'm trying to do is to, in part, to show all of this is nonsense. This is proxy BS that came up in the institutional setting.'' | ||
- '''Eric Weinstein''', April 13, 2020, on [[Eric Weinstein: Geometric Unity and the Call for New Ideas, Leaders & Institutions (YouTube Content)|The Lex Fridman Podcast]] | - '''Eric Weinstein''', April 13, 2020, on [[Eric Weinstein: Geometric Unity and the Call for New Ideas, Leaders & Institutions (YouTube Content)|The Lex Fridman Podcast]] | ||
</blockquote> | </blockquote> | ||
<blockquote> | |||
''Man, great stuff happens at Harvard. Make no mistake about it. Harvard is an amazing and horrible place. And we're going to all now focus on how dumb it is and how horrible it is. And like then you're not seeing the tragedy, you're not seeing—look, I didn't have an advisor. I am one of the only people you'll ever meet with the PhD that had no advisor. But the guy who saved me was named [[Raoul Bott]]. And [[Raoul Bott]] discovered something that's so important called [[Raoul Bott|Bott Periodicity]] that, if I could convey it to you, your mind would be—you'd think DMT was for children. It has to do with the fact that there are only four systems of numbers that have a particular property, and one of those sets of numbers spins a merry-go-round with the other three with an eightfold sort of symmetry. Who knew that this thing was even possible? It's just it's an incredible fact about the world. I associate him with Harvard. That's unfudgable. There's no—There's no one in the world who can tell me that [[Raoul Bott|Bott Periodicity]] wasn't one of the most important things that happened in the 20th century. And to have a person like that, you know, just feet from John Tate. I could go on and on about all the real things that happened in Harvard.'' | |||
- '''Eric Weinstein''', February 19, 2024, on [[Why Does The Modern World Make No Sense? (YouTube Content)|Modern Wisdom 747 | Why Does The Modern World Make No Sense?]] | |||
</blockquote> | |||
== On X == | == On X == | ||
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|usernameurl=https://x.com/EricRWeinstein | |usernameurl=https://x.com/EricRWeinstein | ||
|username=EricRWeinstein | |username=EricRWeinstein | ||
|content=So let me finally say it: my thanks 2 @drorbarnatan & the late Raoul Bott, for heroically saving me & my PhD from my own university 20y ago. | |content=So let me finally say it: my thanks 2 @drorbarnatan & the late [[Raoul Bott]], for heroically saving me & my PhD from my own university 20y ago. | ||
|thread= | |thread= | ||
{{Tweet | {{Tweet | ||
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|usernameurl=https://x.com/EricRWeinstein | |usernameurl=https://x.com/EricRWeinstein | ||
|username=EricRWeinstein | |username=EricRWeinstein | ||
|content=The great Harvard mathematician Raoul Bott lent me his name as advisor as a mensch lends a surname to a bastard. I didn't know 2 say thanks. | |content=The great [[Harvard]] mathematician [[Raoul Bott]] lent me his name as advisor as a mensch lends a surname to a bastard. I didn't know 2 say thanks. | ||
|timestamp=3:24 PM · Aug 27, 2016 | |timestamp=3:24 PM · Aug 27, 2016 | ||
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=== 2019 === | === 2019 === | ||
{{Tweet | {{Tweet | ||
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|usernameurl=https://x.com/EricRWeinstein | |usernameurl=https://x.com/EricRWeinstein | ||
|username=EricRWeinstein | |username=EricRWeinstein | ||
|content=There is a little known stone wall on Long Island. While flawed, it is a gift to all mankind that should be a pilgrimage site, as an understanding of the contents is nesessary to understand our world. Think of it as transcendent graffiti. Atiyah‘s spray-paint is everywhere here. | |content=There is a little known stone wall on Long Island. While flawed, it is a gift to all mankind that should be a pilgrimage site, as an understanding of the contents is nesessary to understand our world. Think of it as transcendent graffiti. [[Michael Atiyah|Atiyah‘s]] spray-paint is everywhere here. | ||
|timestamp=4:36 PM · Jan 12, 2019 | |timestamp=4:36 PM · Jan 12, 2019 | ||
|media1=ERW-X-post-1084127025521033226-DwuXvoOUUAA_X-J.jpg | |media1=ERW-X-post-1084127025521033226-DwuXvoOUUAA_X-J.jpg | ||
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|usernameurl=https://x.com/MathPrinceps | |usernameurl=https://x.com/MathPrinceps | ||
|username=MathPrinceps | |username=MathPrinceps | ||
|content=I completely agree with your assessment of the magnitude of the world's loss here. But who, in your view, was Atiyah's "top collaborator"? Bott, perhaps? Singer? Someone else? He shared credit with a large number of co-workers in his published work. (I'd vote for Bott, myself.) | |content=I completely agree with your assessment of the magnitude of the world's loss here. But who, in your view, was [[Michael Atiyah|Atiyah's]] "top collaborator"? Bott, perhaps? Singer? Someone else? He shared credit with a large number of co-workers in his published work. (I'd vote for Bott, myself.) | ||
|timestamp=4:39 PM · Jan 12, 2019 | |timestamp=4:39 PM · Jan 12, 2019 | ||
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|usernameurl=https://x.com/EricRWeinstein | |usernameurl=https://x.com/EricRWeinstein | ||
|username=EricRWeinstein | |username=EricRWeinstein | ||
|content=Are you anywhere near SF? I gotta hear your argument for Atiyah [[Raoul Bott|Bott]]. The main flaw on that wall IMO is the absence of [[Raoul Bott|Bott Periodicity]]. Other issues: Tits Freudenthal, the main Elliptic Deformation Complexes, Hopf Fibration, etc.. | |content=Are you anywhere near SF? I gotta hear your argument for [[Michael Atiyah|Atiyah]] [[Raoul Bott|Bott]]. The main flaw on that wall IMO is the absence of [[Raoul Bott|Bott Periodicity]]. Other issues: Tits Freudenthal, the main Elliptic Deformation Complexes, Hopf Fibration, etc.. | ||
But Bott Periodicity is beyond mind blowing. | But Bott Periodicity is beyond mind blowing. | ||
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|timestamp=5:56 PM · Jan 12, 2019 | |timestamp=5:56 PM · Jan 12, 2019 | ||
}} | }} | ||
=== 2020 === | === 2020 === | ||
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|usernameurl=https://x.com/EricRWeinstein | |usernameurl=https://x.com/EricRWeinstein | ||
|username=EricRWeinstein | |username=EricRWeinstein | ||
|content=They worked down the same street. I was at times a ping pong ball they sent back & forth between Building 2 at MIT & Harvard Science Center rm 508 (I think) along a 45 minute walk. I very much respected that they chose not to air any difficulties. They had respect for each other. | |content=They worked down the same street. I was at times a ping pong ball they sent back & forth between Building 2 at MIT & [[Harvard|Harvard Science Center rm 508]] (I think) along a 45 minute walk. I very much respected that they chose not to air any difficulties. They had respect for each other. | ||
|timestamp=10:11 PM · Feb 19, 2021 | |timestamp=10:11 PM · Feb 19, 2021 | ||
|media1=ERW-X-post-1362887560519819264-EunrcnOUYAU_om1.jpg | |media1=ERW-X-post-1362887560519819264-EunrcnOUYAU_om1.jpg | ||
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Even for a moment… | Even for a moment… | ||
|thread= | |||
{{Tweet | |||
|image=anisomorphism-profile--TnQqoqc.jpg | |||
|nameurl=https://x.com/anisomorphism/status/1608269790535376896 | |||
|name=anisomorphism | |||
|usernameurl=https://x.com/anisomorphism | |||
|username=anisomorphism | |||
|content=I'd substitute with [[Raoul Bott|Bott]] and Tu or May | |||
|timestamp=1:12 AM · Dec 29, 2022 | |||
}} | |||
|timestamp=1:34 AM · Dec 29, 2022 | |timestamp=1:34 AM · Dec 29, 2022 | ||
}} | }} | ||
== Related Pages == | == Related Pages == | ||
* [[Isadore Singer]] | * [[Isadore Singer]] | ||
* [[Jim Watson]] | |||
* [[Michael Atiyah]] | |||
* [[Harvard]] | |||
[[Category:Mathematics]] | [[Category:Mathematics]] | ||