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 02:03
My 11 million SEK, Dr Jo.
Fortunately, we are privy to the discussion that led up to this:
(Bob Dylan, Nobel Prize for Literature, 2016)
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:
Whatever.
You can have your cake and eat it too
Rotation Notes: Scherzer, Stroman, Imanaga, Eovaldi - MLB Trade Rumors
There you go.^†
When he's standing, in front of you
[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.
The Fastest Speed That Humans Have Traveled Is 39,937.7 Kilometers Per Hour - IFLScience
A fly on the wall at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
"Naah, Linnainmaa is a Finn. Can't give it to a bloody Finnish mathematician. Let's go for drinks. Brännvin anyone?"
… then anything is possible. There’s no rule that a Nobel Prize has to make sense.^*
Hegseth moves to rename Navy ship honoring gay rights icon Harvey Milk - The Washington Post
"Where can we shoehorn it in? Chemistry is easy 'cos AlphaFold; but what about physics? A bit more challenging, right?"
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.
"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?"
The European Central Bank is almost guaranteed to cut rates. Here's what could happen next - CNBC
They then move on to selectively provide their own version of history. But hey, it’s OK. They wanted controversy, didn’t they? Whatever.
(Mumbles of assent)
[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."
GameStop Earnings Reveal Return to Profits. Why the Stock Is Dropping. - Barron's
"Didn't he do something with Boltzmann in it? That sounds physics-y. RBMs and stuff, eh?"
^* Fibiger got the 1926 Medicine prize for the discovery of Spiroptera carcinoma (Don’t ask).
"Good point, I'm sure we can swing it. And let's tack on Hopfield while we're about it."
Helen Hunt on why she's rejecting Hollywood beauty standards - USA Today
Why wait any longer for the one you love?
Why wait any longer for the world to begin?
^† They rationalise their decision thusly:
Whatever.
[Older voice] "Mmm. What about Hinton, he's widely regarded? Nobody got fired for buying IBM"
"Good idea, but how can we wangle something that says 'Physics'?"
CNN interrupted for devastating Elon Musk news amid Donald Trump showdown - Irish Star