Roth Dugan never imagined Daniel Milnor's ideas could be more radical than his own, even to the point of insanity.
An 18-year-old member of the American Academy of Sciences?
Well, that was really difficult.
The youngest member of the math division in the American Academy of Sciences was 30 years old. Age was one factor; like anywhere else in the world, gaining this honor also required the approval and agreement of the majority.
This wasn't something he and Daniel Milnor could decide on their own.
At best, they could only recommend, but they had no control over the outcome.
Not to mention Qiao Ze had no foundation whatsoever in the United States.
It was somewhat wishful thinking.
But Daniel Milnor was very serious.
"No, I think it's feasible! Roth, we're just promising to strongly recommend him. Maybe not right now, but with his level, he will definitely become a member in the future, at most a few years later. And as long as he comes to Princeton, he will definitely not choose to go back. I am confident about that. The first problem we need to consider is getting him to come, don't you agree?"
Roth Dugan seemed to understand Daniel Milnor's point, hesitating, he said, "Are you suggesting we deceive him?"
"How can you call it deception? We will indeed do our utmost to help him, I could even use Facebook to publicly express my views. It's just that we can't guarantee it'll definitely happen. Not to mention, once he comes here, we can offer him every honor we can think of within our power. Isn't that enough? Roth, you must know that only here can he become our partner.
If he stays in Huaxia, he could become our competitor in the future."
Daniel Milnor spoke gravely.
Roth Dugan remained silent.
Although he also hoped Qiao Ze would come to Princeton, his thought process was not the same as Daniel Milnor's.
Roth Dugan belonged to the kind of traditional mathematician who was uninterested in anything beyond academia.
But Daniel Milnor was clearly different; the professor's ideas were noticeably more utilitarian and more realistic.
Sensing Roth Dugan's hesitation, Daniel Milnor spoke again, "Roth, drop that hypocritical thinking, will you? Just like you said before, that Qiao also proposed a new theory, designed a new large language model algorithm, and made his first pot of gold. What does this tell you, you know better than anyone else.
I know you prefer not to complicate matters, but why do you think you can cooperate with NASA and get substantial funding from them for projects you're interested in but may come to nothing? That's because our Congress is still funding NASA! Don't deny it; we live in a competitive world, and Huaxia happens to be our most formidable competitor."
"Although for us, it might not be a matter of life-or-death competition, it does affect whether your projects can continue with sufficient funding. If they can't generate enough profit, those idiots in Congress will continue to cut research funding, including NASA's. And when NASA's funds are reduced, your projects will be the first to be slashed."
"So, please put aside that nauseating sense of morality for now. If we can really get Qiao to Princeton, even if we must offer a slightly exaggerated promise at first, it's not a big deal. I don't even mind if you use my name to make the promise."
Roth Dugan shook his head, then smiled and calmly said, "No, I won't deceive a child. If you insist on doing this, I think you should email him yourself. Of course, this doesn't mean I disagree with your view. In fact, some of what you're saying makes sense, but it's not comprehensive.
From a broader perspective, our issues involve more than just competition; it's greed that has led those in high places to opt for the easiest ways to accumulate wealth, even forsaking the fundamental industrial base of a nation. The detachment between upper and lower levels has led to the loss of the executive power we once took pride in."
"Do you know why we have this splendid civilization today? Because from the roar of the first steam engine in the United Kingdom, the land of the Western Hemisphere had the most skilled workers and the largest factories in the world. Having these was what allowed us to turn the ingenious ideas of countless scientists into reality. But now, we have willingly given these up."
"Yes, finance can endlessly make money from money, and we even study related mathematical models, trying to control everything. Strong capabilities allow us to issue bonds nearly without limit. But money without the backing of tangible goods will just turn into worthless paper."
"What's more terrifying is that 'infinity' is just a concept in mathematics, without much significance in the physical world. In this regard, I even think Qiao's decision to stay in Huaxia is a smart one. If you knew about that country, you would understand that they are now like the United States in the seventies and eighties."
"Young, vibrant, creatively rich, and also possessing a strong executive force. It's truly possible for them to turn some brilliant ideas into reality. I'm not a pessimist, but I'm certain this path is the wrong one. Once we can no longer attract high-end talent based on our merits, it will signify that we are falling behind. But that does not mean we can resort to deceptive means."
Yes, these were Roth Dugan's thoughts.