Pronto, recusou: Four mathematicians were today due to collect gold medals and glory in Madrid, Spain, having been declared winners of the 2006 Fields Medals ? referred to as the 'Nobel prizes' of mathematics. But only three turned up.
[P]resident of the International Mathematical Union John Ball said "I regret that Dr Perelman has declined to accept." No explanation was given. [...]
A UK newspaper, The Sunday Telegraph, reported on 20 August that it had tracked down Perelman to a flat in St Petersburg, where he reportedly lives with his mother. The mathematician is quoted as saying: "I do not think anything that I say can be of the slightest public interest. I have published all my calculations. This is what I can offer the public."
[O que ele diz é ligeiramente diferente porque a primeira frase continua assim: "I am not saying that because I value my privacy, or that I am doing anything I want to hide. There are no top-secret projects going on here. I just believe the public has no interest in me."
He continued: "I know that self-promotion happens a lot and if people want to do that, good luck to them, but I do not regard it as a positive thing. I realised this a long time ago and nobody is going to change my mind. "Newspapers should be more discerning over who they write about. They should have more taste. As far as I am concerned, I can't offer anything for their readers."
Outra opinião, de Simon Singh: "The reclusive Perelman is reinforcing the stereotype that mathematical geniuses are strange eccentrics, and he seems to be exactly the sort of person who puts people off maths. At a time when Europe is trying to encourage young people to study maths, why can't our top-notch mathematicians be beautiful, witty extroverts? Why can't they drive around in fast cars and fill the tabloids with gossip about their Hollywood-style orgies?
Realistically, mathematicians are never going to be very glamorous, and moreover it could be that Perelman is exactly what mathematics needs in order to promote itself. Perversely, however, I believe that this hairy Russian hermit could be the poster boy who helps create a new generation of mathematical geniuses. First, it is clear that Perelman is a genius"]
[act.: MANIFOLD DESTINY - A legendary problem and the battle over who solved it.
"I didn't worry too much myself. This was a famous problem. Some people needed time to get accustomed to the fact that this is no longer a conjecture. I personally decided for myself that it was right for me to stay away from verification and not to participate in all these meetings. It is important for me that I don't influence this process." (via)]
