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?
Last Updated: 30.06.2025 01:00
There you go.^†
(Mumbles of assent)
"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?"
Measles case confirmed in eastern Iowa - KCRG
Fortunately, we are privy to the discussion that led up to this:
"Where can we shoehorn it in? Chemistry is easy 'cos AlphaFold; but what about physics? A bit more challenging, right?"
When he's standing, in front of you
Is it true that in 2028 there will be a new AIDS variant that will wipe out all the LBGTQ+ people?
Why wait any longer for the world to begin?
[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."
"Good point, I'm sure we can swing it. And let's tack on Hopfield while we're about it."
S&P 500 squeaks out record high even as new trade tensions emerge with Canada - The Washington Post
(Bob Dylan, Nobel Prize for Literature, 2016)
"Didn't he do something with Boltzmann in it? That sounds physics-y. RBMs and stuff, eh?"
Whatever.
Popular home goods retailer files for bankruptcy, plans to close 26 stores initially - 10TV
"Good idea, but how can we wangle something that says 'Physics'?"
My 11 million SEK, Dr Jo.
Whatever.
Do snipers lay on top of tank turrets during combat?
You can have your cake and eat it too
"Naah, Linnainmaa is a Finn. Can't give it to a bloody Finnish mathematician. Let's go for drinks. Brännvin anyone?"
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.
A spinning universe could crack the mysteries of dark energy and our place in the multiverse - Space
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:
^* Fibiger got the 1926 Medicine prize for the discovery of Spiroptera carcinoma (Don’t ask).
A fly on the wall at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
Complete Guide to Panthers Stanley Cup Championship Parade - Florida Hockey Now
Why wait any longer for the one you love?
They then move on to selectively provide their own version of history. But hey, it’s OK. They wanted controversy, didn’t they? Whatever.
[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.
… then anything is possible. There’s no rule that a Nobel Prize has to make sense.^*
[Older voice] "Mmm. What about Hinton, he's widely regarded? Nobody got fired for buying IBM"
^† They rationalise their decision thusly: