[OT] Wiener

[David Broadhurst]

Henry W. Gould wrote

> I maintain a "Mathematician's Laugh Book" in which I enter all such stories
> as contributions to mathematical humor. A friend of mine was a taking a class
> years ago from Norbert Wiener, who had told his class there were two ways to
> solve a certain problem. When the class came back and said they couldn't
> figure it out, Wiener paused and thought a while and then announced: "Yes, it
> works by Method One."

I was told this Wiener story, back in the 60s:

NW to colleague:
> I must teach a class on the Boltzmann H theorem.
> So I try classic Proof 1.
> Audience is mystified.
> I rack brain and dredge up obscure Proof 2 by X.
> Audience is mystified.
> Big effort of will and novel Proof 3 follows.
> Audience is mystified.
> Aber zum ersten Mal verstehe ich dieses Theorem!
[But for the first time I understand this theorem!]

David Broadhurst             Email:  D.Broadhurst at open.ac.uk
Reader in Physics            Phone:  (+44) 1908 655132 (Yvonne Mckay)
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