[naturalgradient]

So this goes off on a tangent but I feel it relates to noncentrality [0]. Fokas has a PhD in maths. Being an MD or having gotten an MD 40 years ago is clearly entirely non-central to his career. Calling him Mathematician-MD seems like it is meant to make him seem a lesser mathematician, e.g. by insinuating that this is just something he does part time, and that he can hence be taken less seriously.

I don't know what the poster meant by suggesting 'Mathematician-MD', but it reads weirdly to me for that reason. It's highlighting an attribute of a person that is entirely unrelated to his career or this article. Why if not to denigrate him? The title should be changed to neutrally reflect his position.

https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/yCWPkLi8wJvewPbEp/the-noncen...

[hypeibole]

I actually believe the intent is the opposite.

I think the PR people are just trying to sell Fokas as a polymath genius. "Look, he is not only a mathematician but also an MD, wow!"

[naturalgradient]

Thank you, I had not considered that. I think researchers or a HN audience may perceive this differently than the average reader.

[TomVDB]

FWIW: my initial instinctive reaction to the MD part was most definitely negative.