JF
John Forbes Nash, Jr.
32quotes
John Forbes Nash, Jr.
Full Name and Common Aliases
John Forbes Nash, Jr. is commonly known as John Nash.
Birth and Death Dates
Born on June 13, 1928, in Bluefield, West Virginia. He passed away on May 23, 2015, at the age of 86, due to complications from a taxi accident in Manhattan.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Nash held American nationality and was a renowned mathematician and economist. His work spanned multiple disciplines, including game theory, differential geometry, and partial differential equations.
Early Life and Background
John Nash grew up in Bluefield, West Virginia, to parents John Forbes Nash Sr., an electrical engineer, and Margaret Martin Nash. He showed exceptional mathematical abilities from an early age and was accepted into Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University) at 17. During his undergraduate studies, he developed a passion for mathematics and economics.
Major Accomplishments
Nash's most significant contribution to the field of mathematics is the Nash Equilibrium, a concept in game theory that explains how individuals make strategic decisions when faced with conflicting interests. His work on differential geometry and partial differential equations also led to groundbreaking discoveries. Additionally, he was awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 1994, along with Reinhard Selten and John Harsanyi, for his pioneering work on game theory.
Notable Works or Actions
Nash's notable works include:
"Non-Cooperative Games" (1950), a paper that introduced the Nash Equilibrium concept.
"The Bargaining Problem" (1950), which laid the foundation for modern game theory.
* His work on differential geometry, particularly in the area of Riemannian geometry.
Impact and Legacy
Nash's work has had a profound impact on various fields, including economics, politics, and sociology. The Nash Equilibrium has become a fundamental concept in understanding strategic decision-making, influencing numerous areas such as international relations, business strategy, and social dynamics.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
John Nash is widely quoted and remembered for his groundbreaking contributions to mathematics and economics, particularly the Nash Equilibrium. His work continues to inspire new generations of scholars and practitioners, making him one of the most influential mathematicians of the 20th century.
Additional Insights
Nash's life was not without challenges. He struggled with paranoid schizophrenia for over three decades, which significantly impacted his personal and professional life. The movie "A Beautiful Mind" (2001), directed by Ron Howard, tells the story of Nash's struggles and triumphs, further cementing his legacy as a mathematician and an inspiration to those facing adversity.
In conclusion, John Forbes Nash, Jr., was a trailblazing mathematician and economist whose work continues to shape our understanding of strategic decision-making. His legacy serves as a testament to human ingenuity and the power of mathematics to transform our world.
Quotes by John Forbes Nash, Jr.
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You could see how money is different all of a sudden in Italy when they had the lire and now they have the euro. So they, in a revolutionary way, have gone from bad money to good money comparatively. But what about the rest of the world?
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It is easy to say that there are the rich and the poor, and so something should be done. But in history, there are always the rich and the poor. If the poor were not as poor, we would still call them the poor. I mean, whoever has less can be called the poor. You will always have the 10% that have less and the 10% that have the most.
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If things are not so good, you may be one to imagine something better. For me, I was able to imagine myself as in a role of greater importance than I would seem to be ordinarily.
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Of course, the American education system is very inefficient in many ways compared to other countries in Europe or Japan, but it works in such a way that at least the few people who are going onto unusual careers and science can manage to get into that, even though they go through an earlier stage that doesn't give them much.
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The dollar used to be a gold standard currency. And the dollar is really good in the last century, I mean in the 19th century.
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It has had a tremendous impact on my life, more than on the life of most Prize winners, because I was in an unusual situation. I was unemployed at the time. I was in good health, but I had reached the age of 66 and beginning to get social security, but I didn't have much of that. I had many years of unemployment before me.
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I would not dare to say that there is a direct relation between mathematics and madness, but there is no doubt that great mathematicians suffer from maniacal characteristics, delirium, and symptoms of schizophrenia.
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I don't think exactly like a professional economist. I think about economics and economic ideas, but somewhat like an outsider.
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I was the most important person of the world, and people like the Pope would be just like enemies, who would try to put me down in some way or another, or the president. People are always selling the idea that people who have mental illness are suffering.
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I think mental illness or madness can be an escape also. People don't develop a mental illness because they are in the happiest of situations, usually. One doctor observed that it was rare when people were rich to become schizophrenic. If they were poor or didn't have too much money, then it was more likely.
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