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by electrondood 907 days ago
Dropped the /s
1 comments

Yeah, true. I was being subtle. This narcissist is framing things as "even better" in comparison to someone who is likely, literally, the most intelligent person currently alive.
There is at least one person commenting that mathematical notation is stupid in every maths submission on HN, and the author usually never gives any indication as to having made any contributions towards mathematical research. It's an inevitability at this point.
> likely, literally, the most intelligent person currently alive.

Why do people always seem to say this about Tao? What makes him different from, say, other recent Fields medalists?

I feel like it has something to do with having been a child prodigy more than anything else (and because he’s somehow known to laypeople worldwide when other names aren’t). I’m not even sure what the most intelligent person is supposed to mean, especially when the domain of expertise is so narrow.

I have no particular opinion on the man; it’s a genuine question.