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?
08.06.2025 00:34
"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?"
There you go.^†
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:
Over 40? Eating These Carbs Could Boost Your Healthy Aging Odds by 37% - bestlifeonline.com
When he's standing, in front of you
"Good idea, but how can we wangle something that says 'Physics'?"
(Mumbles of assent)
Do you regret being married to your current wife?
[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
"Didn't he do something with Boltzmann in it? That sounds physics-y. RBMs and stuff, eh?"
Why do companies cull employees during financial downturns without saying so?
^† They rationalise their decision thusly:
[Older voice] "Mmm. What about Hinton, he's widely regarded? Nobody got fired for buying IBM"
"Where can we shoehorn it in? Chemistry is easy 'cos AlphaFold; but what about physics? A bit more challenging, right?"
Rick Pitino 'Feels Bad' For Tom Thibodeau After Knicks Firing - Sports Illustrated
"Good point, I'm sure we can swing it. And let's tack on Hopfield while we're about it."
You can have your cake and eat it too
[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."
Fortunately, we are privy to the discussion that led up to this:
… then anything is possible. There’s no rule that a Nobel Prize has to make sense.^*
They then move on to selectively provide their own version of history. But hey, it’s OK. They wanted controversy, didn’t they? Whatever.
Tuesday Telescope: Lighting, sprites, and airglow over Central America - Ars Technica
Whatever.
Whatever.
Why wait any longer for the world to begin?
Graphene Is Stretchable? Physicists Make “Miracle Material” Bend Like Never Before - SciTechDaily
My 11 million SEK, Dr Jo.
(Bob Dylan, Nobel Prize for Literature, 2016)
Why wait any longer for the one you love?
"Naah, Linnainmaa is a Finn. Can't give it to a bloody Finnish mathematician. Let's go for drinks. Brännvin anyone?"
^* Fibiger got the 1926 Medicine prize for the discovery of Spiroptera carcinoma (Don’t ask).
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.
Does any other guys get turned on by dick pic makes you lick lips because you what to suck?