On Physicists and Mathematicians and Mountain-Climbing

http://www.nytimes.com/2001/02/20/science/20CLIM.html

by antiform • 18 years ago

12 4 18 years ago

bootload• 18 years ago

"... Both physics and climbing seem to draw people who are comfortable living on society's fringes .... It always seems ready with another surprise, something we couldn't have anticipated ...:

Great article. Climbing probably achieves 3 objectives at once - it's quiet, nobody bugs you. Working on a problem? There is nothing worse than interrupted thought. So moving away from people distractions works. You can let your mind relax and wonder while you exert yourself on something totally unrelated.

Done my climbing for the day ~ http://www.flickr.com/photos/bootload/2954173256/

jhayes• 18 years ago

I have a book called "The Art and Craft of Problem Solving" which uses climbing terms to describe various techniques and tools used in IMO problems. It wasn't a very forced analogy at all.

Also, for interest's sake, a few years ago a physicist (http://insectnation.org/projects/nightclimbing/) even scanned in an old book on climbing; t'was pretty nifty! (but slightly off topic here probably).

hugh• 18 years ago

I know a few physicists who are serious mountain climbers. But I know more who are serious drinkers. Where's the article about that?

antiform• 18 years ago

Right here. [http://www.praguepost.com/articles/2008/03/19/who-says-czech...]

On Physicists and Mathematicians and Mountain-Climbing

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