Chapter 18 Postscript: Everything that is great must be simple

Everything that is great must be simple Zhang Lixian A book, leading to an interview. A In 1986, Andrew Wiles made the decision that changed his life: to prove the Taniyama-Shimura conjecture, and then to prove Fermat's last theorem.This year, I also need to make a choice that affects the course of my life: study liberal arts, or science? All signposts point to Science.Be it test scores or personal interests.Zhang Jie wrote a novel called "Emerald". Zeng Ling'er fell in love with a straw man with embroidered pillows. She would not act coquettish to him, but would just keep doing math problems, faster than anyone else.This scene was branded in my heart, and I felt that the dark fisherman's daughter was indescribably sexy.Back then, my greatest joy was doing the questions in the math tutorial, choosing the most difficult C-type questions, and every time I made one, I had great joy.

Fortunately, the middle school I was in divided subjects in the middle of the second year of senior high school, unlike most schools that do this as soon as they enter the second year of senior high school.The so-called luck is that I have an excellent math teacher, his name is Tai Baoxian. If I study liberal arts, it is impossible for him to teach - of course a good math teacher should be used in science classes.Teacher Tai's class is always the class with the most laughter in the school. His movements and expressions are extremely rich. , It can also roar and accurately hit those students who are dozing off.Often during evening self-study, he sneaked into the classroom quietly, wrote a few questions on the blackboard, and then walked away.In class the next day, he asked us with a smirk if we had made it: "I am so happy to think that you are stuck", and then told us a more beautiful solution.That semester was the happiest time for me. I finished analytic geometry without knowing it, and since then, no questions have troubled me.

On the other hand, our Chinese class is also taught by a national special-grade teacher, and he took it for half a month just for one article.This kind of language is really tasteless. However, at the other end of the balance, even though there is only one weight, it is extremely heavy: I am color blind, and I am taking science, so there will be many majors that I cannot apply for. Now it is difficult to understand the trembling mood, but in the past, the college entrance examination was difficult, and it was difficult to pass the Shu road. It would be good if you could pass the entrance examination. Who would consider your personal interests and future plans?

In my ignorance, I fumbled and made three choices that would affect my life course: When filling out my volunteer application, someone suggested to fill in the Beijing Broadcasting Institute in the early admission. I always thought that the school trained electrical maintenance personnel, so I hardened my heart Leave that column empty; after I applied to the National People's Congress, the vice president in charge of admissions kindly encouraged me to take the entrance examination of the Department of Demography, saying that the competition was small and the allocation was good. That major, which was later ridiculed by us as a "human trafficker", was bullied by other departments all day because of its thin population; and in the most important division of arts and sciences, I went through painful hesitation and struggle, regardless of the physics class teacher's persuasion, Finally went to the liberal arts class...

Twenty years later, I saw the book "Fermat's Last Theorem".The only certain feeling is that if I could read this book on that day in 1986, I would definitely study science and take the mathematics department. Bowl.I can never assume what it would be like for me to walk on another track.At least, I can be a person like Teacher Tai Baoxian, experiencing the achievement and happiness of mathematics. Reading this book is a thrilling and unstoppable process, mixed with having to sleep and having to go to work.I attended an event that night, but I was thinking about "Fermat's Last Theorem" that I hadn't finished watching at home, so I refused to drink and left the scene early.When it comes to reading, nothing like this has happened in a long time.

This is a wonderfully written book. The cracking process of Fermat's last theorem and a concise history of mathematics are organically combined by the author Simon Singer.But my madness broke out, and I dismantled it with great interest and patience, and reorganized it in the style of "Reader's Digest".When typing word by word into the computer, my heart was filled with great melancholy.I hope that there is a teenager who can read this story at the critical moment of fate like me. "The sole purpose of the Newton Institute's existence is to bring together some of the best academics in the world for a few weeks to conduct seminars on cutting-edge research topics of their choice. The building is located on the edge of the (Cambridge) University, Far from students and other distractions, the building's architectural design is also unique in order to encourage scientists to focus on collaborating and contributing ideas. There are no dead-end corridors to hide in, and each office faces a centrally located supply space. Discussion halls, spaces where mathematicians can discuss research, and office doors are not allowed to remain closed. Collaboration is encouraged when moving around the institute—even the elevator (which only goes up and down three floors) has a Blackboards. In fact, every room in the building (including bathrooms) has at least one blackboard.”

Allow me to copy this passage from the book.I clearly know that it is a spiritual hometown that I can no longer reach. B The reading notes I wrote were picked up and serialized by China Youth Daily Freezing Point Weekly.I thought that the matter should end here, but what I didn’t expect was that one day I received an instruction from Li Datong, editor-in-chief of Freezing Point Weekly: Andrew Wiles was coming to Beijing, and he asked me if I would like to conduct an exclusive interview on behalf of China Youth Daily . I was so excited that I almost passed out. Due to the death of his father, Andrew Wiles' plan to visit Beijing was postponed for one month. On August 28, he finally set foot on the land of Beijing. This is also the first time for him to come to Asia at the age of 52.

The next day, after taking a tour of Beijing with him, we sat by the lake in Houhai Park, and the interview began.When I read "Fermat's Last Theorem" mesmerizingly, I never imagined that one day I would travel through Beijing with the legendary figure in the book, and sit face to face with him, listening to him tell me what happened in my heart while reading. A question is explained. This was basically an off-topic interview, and it became the biggest surprise of my interview with Andrew Wiles. Previously, I imagined that this was a well-regulated interview: First, Andrew Wiles has become famous all over the world for successfully cracking Fermat’s last theorem. It has been more than ten years, and he has experienced interviews with major media in the world. It should be because I have accumulated a lot of well-known and well-known clichés; secondly, I have read the book several times, and I think I know him well enough, and I believe that no matter what answer I give, it will not exceed the content of the book .

But the more than one hour interview was quite beyond my expectation. Some omissions in the book are corrected: the book says that "they were married shortly after Wiles started working on the proof", and Wiles tells me that he started working on Fermat's last theorem in 1986, while Married in 1988; according to the book, he conducted his research in complete independence and secrecy, and in fact Wiles told some colleagues at first, but gradually made his own It is said that a large international garment company asked him to advertise a new series of men's clothing. When I asked him to verify this issue, he said that because the name of the clothing company was "GAP" (gap means " defect"), so he declined.

Interviewing public figures can often be tedious.Because what they say is not what they want to say, but what we want to hear.What we hope to hear is a romantic and decisive answer, which is lonely and tragic, and for the respondent, even if the real situation is not the case, it seems that such a self-description must be prepared to meet the expectations of the viewers.In my journalistic career, I have encountered mostly these expected rhetoric. Andrew Wiles did not reveal this kind of heroism and pride.I asked him, when he started to study Fermat's Last Theorem, did he still do it knowing that he was not sure?And point out the fact that many mathematicians are daunted by this difficult problem.

"Historically, not many serious mathematicians decided to study Fermat's Last Theorem, because they first had to consider whether the development of mathematics provided them with enough tools under their historical conditions. Reach the level of solving this problem. By 1986, I decided to study the last theorem. At that time, most people thought that the tools in their hands were not enough, but I thought there was hope. So I am not romantic, but very realistic Be sure." The so-called answer is not what the question asked.He did not take credit for challenging Fermat's last theorem alone.According to him, it seems that the history of mathematics was written in 1986. Even if Andrew Wiles did not prove it, another person would appear. A flaw in the paper was discovered during the verification phase, and Wiles was even ready to publicly admit the flaw.I asked him about his predicament and pressure, and his answer was: "I only know that this problem can be solved, and I hope it can be solved. Even if I admit that my proof is flawed, hundreds of people will see it." Hopefully, seeing that we already have enough good tools, they will further solve this problem. Maybe they will take some time, eight years, ten years, but the tools are already there, and the direction is already there." Two contexts, two states of mind, two ways of thinking, this is the answer beyond my imagination.In an interview with his colleague at Princeton University and academician Gang Tian of the School of Mathematics at Peking University, Tian once commented that Wiles was a "brave man" because he was under the pressure of being ruined.In Wiles' answer, he didn't realize his own "courage" at all. As for "defeat", I suspect that this word does not exist in his dictionary at all.It is said in the Buddhist scriptures that there is "no name" and "no form", and Wiles has achieved this level of cultivation. Having said that, only a simple and direct person like him can take on the responsibility of the heavens. There are also very polite answers in the interview.Talking about his three math-loving daughters, I asked him if he wanted them to be mathematicians like him.His answer was: "No, I hope they choose what they like, not necessarily mathematics. The most important thing for a person is to do what he really likes, especially when he is young." One of his daughters was sitting next to him. During his trip to Beijing, Andrew Wiles will also pass through Hong Kong to receive the 2005 Shaw Prize in Mathematical Sciences and a prize of one million US dollars.I also had a very common question: what are you going to do with that $1 million prize?But I immediately decided to drop the question. I have learned before that the salary of a Princeton University professor is enough to ensure that they live a decent life.I don't think the extra million dollars will make much difference to Andrew Wiles' life.He probably won’t be able to earn any assets for his daughter. I just heard a friend talk about his children’s experience in American schools: a few classmates went to play during their holidays, and those who spent their own earned money were respected by everyone, while People who spend their parents' money can't hold their heads up as if they have done something shameful. I recalled that afternoon when I was waiting for Andrew Wiles to come to Beijing, and I was wandering around the campus of Peking University with photojournalist He Yanguang.Lao He was first surprised at the vulgarity of some new buildings in Peking University—the outer walls of the Shaw Building were actually covered with small pieces of white tiles. magnificent.I said, I heard that among the current students, some poor students only spend one or two hundred yuan a month, while some rich children are called "eight thousand young people". I don't know if they spend eight thousand yuan a month or a semester. . Looking at the father and daughter in front of me, I think that Wiles' daughter will definitely not be able to afford college, and she certainly doesn't need her father to make her an "Eight Thousand Young Master". Prior to this interview, I had been in contact with Andrew Wiles for over a day.In my opinion, because of his strong self-confidence and great achievements, he is not surprised, modest and diluted.And after this interview, recalling the question and answer at that time, what I thought was that he was able to calmly and freely choose what he liked to do, which was based on a sense of security and stability in life and career. That's exactly what we don't have. The academicians of Peking University said that the usual evaluation consumes too much energy, how can they concentrate on research; they also said that Wiles spent seven years doing secret research without saying hello to the organization. There is no subsidy in China for writing papers with results, let alone evaluation of titles and housing. I also reviewed what I did during the three days of the interview with Wiles: my father-in-law needed surgery, looking for a hospital bed, queuing up for surgery, I was traveling between two cities, and at the same time worried about whether the hospital would cost a lot of money. The savings may not be enough; on the road coincides with the start of summer school for students, it is hard to get a ticket, and you have to wait until the next stop to find a seat; during the interview, I learned that my colleagues are suing for the boss’s wage arrears, and I have not received it for a quarter. When it comes to salary... I can only laugh at myself, I can't think about the problems Wiles is thinking about in my mind, and his mind can't hold the problems I have to face. After Andrew Wiles' academic report at Peking University, an inspired young scholar said that Wiles' visit was a call for an academic atmosphere of earnestly engaging in basic research. In any case, if we only emphasize the objective dilemma, indulging in the endless consumption and temptation of the outside world, and the endless desire and calculation of the heart, our minds will always be chaotic and messy, and the call of Andrew Wiles can only be Call nothing. So I babbled on and on about how this interview touched me. It should be a life attitude we need to uphold: cheap, crazy, and simple. The so-called cheap, the so-called crazy, is to let go of your figure and worries as much as possible, devote yourself wholeheartedly to the things you love, and enjoy that kind of madness.The so-called simplicity is just like the title of this article: Everything that is great must be simple. Leo Tolstoy said.