Two great mathematicians. Founder of the science of cybernetics Nobert Wiener.
I would like to ask a question of great mathematician the founder of science of cybernetics Nobert Wiener.
It is known that when Wiener came to England, he talked in English,
In Germany – in German,
In Italy in Italian,
In Spain in Spanish,
In France in French,
In Finland in Finnish,
In the Czech Republic on Czech,
In China on tangerine (it is official Chinese) etc.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … .
Question: "In what language great N. Wiener talked in Russia to other great Russian mathematician A.Kolmogorov?"
"One cannot understand a nation without knowing its language"
Norbert Wiener
As Norbert's father (Leo Wiener) was a professor of Slavic languges born in Bialystok, and educated in Minsk and Warsaw, had a very good coommand of Russian language, His son also learned very easily foreign languages and liked to speak with his interlocutors in their native languages. So, they probably talked with Andrey Nikolaevich Kolmogorov in Russian.
Definitely the smile covered by Alexander's moustach foreshadows a hidden trick...
Correct answer. Norbert Wiener arrived to the USSR during the Stalin period. Then was considered that geneticists are "the enemies of mankind from the"pea laws of monk G. Mendel"", and the cybernetics was considered "as a pseudo science from ("I am a genius" – N.W.) Wiener". When N. Wiener arrived to Russia to ("I am a mathematician" - A. Kolmogorov) Andrey Kolmogorov to discuss mathematical questions, Kolmogorov didn't accept him. Therefore N. Wiener never in any language didn't talk to A. Kolmogorov.
And the USSR conferred him seven orders of Lenin and the Order of the October Revolution.
That's a complex situation.
Kolmogorovian.
Dobrý den, Martin, Dobry den, World!
Nechci mluvit česky.
Ale učím rychle.
Jazyk a ideologie by neměly představovat překážku v komunikaci mezi vědci.
this translates as
I do not speak czech.
But I learn fast.
Language and ideology should not represent an obstacle in communication between scientists.
Dear Alexander,
your question is excellent for its originality as well as your perfect answer in КВН style with anachronistic miths. However I’m sure, not everybody understands your joke like András Györfi.
Stalin died in 1953. Wiener visited the Moscow IFAC in 1960.
P. 10 of this Tikhomirov’s paper:
http://www.computer-museum.ru/books/cibernetics_hist.pdf
The reason of this “no-meeting” was another. Sure, we should respect Kolmogorov's choice. The forth Order of Lenin (1961) wasn't his dream ). Etiquette requires speaking the language of our guest. I doubt very much that W. and K. could be left alone. W. as an American researcher was accompanied by a Russian-English interpreter according the rules of that time.