This is obviously unscientific.
But when unscientific events actually occur, as a mathematician, one can only try to find scientific explanations for the unscientific.
Really, Zhao Guangyao had already stopped caring about losing face at this point.
He couldn't understand how an eighteen-year-old high school student could spot an error in a top journal's Group Theory paper at first glance, and also have the ability to give professional criticism on his paper on geometry.
It's true that Group Theory is related to geometry.
Theoretically, given a Transformation Group, there corresponds a type of geometry.
A hundred years ago, understanding both fields at eighteen, although impressive, would not make people question their existence.
But after all, it's the twenty-first century now!
Today's mathematicians focus on increasingly specialized subjects!
The various mathematical tools have become so specialized that they might as well be worlds apart.
Even within the same branch of mathematics, researching different topics requires starting from reading papers and tackling various difficult problems.
So ten years ago, a notable figure in the mathematical world confidently stated something in an interview, which received agreement from the entire community.
"...sadly, David Hilbert is the last universal genius in mathematics the world will see, and it is impossible for another mathematician with the towering genius of David Hilbert to appear again!"
This statement alone might sound like ancient adulation, right?
But when combined with the entire content of the interview, we can see that this mathematician was correct.
Because what he meant was that after mathematics has become so diversified, even if another David Hilbert were to emerge, they could only achieve in one field of mathematics in their lifetime, without the capacity to research other branches.
Take Partial Differential Equations (PDEs) as an example.
From the time this subject was proposed, mathematicians only used it as a tool to study and explain certain specific phenomena.
But as it has developed to the present day, PDEs themselves have become a large research direction, further divided into several categories.
For instance, theoretical study of PDEs focuses on explaining the existence, uniqueness, and stability of solutions to such equations; numerical solutions research seeks to obtain numerical solutions to these types of equations with computers; while the applied perspective researches how these equations can be utilized in disciplines like fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, electromagnetic theory, and so forth.
Not to mention the classifications like geometry and Group Theory...
Thus, it is almost universally recognized in the mathematical community that the world will no longer see a universal genius in mathematics.
He silently picked up his notebook, intending to leave.
There's no need for him to urge anymore, which is great.
As for the genius student Qiao Ze... Zhao Guangyao just thought it over in his mind and gave up.
He's not worthy.
And he couldn't get over that hurdle in his heart.
He was in his fifties; there was no need to recruit such a student to support anymore.
However, Zhao Guangyao was truly curious to see what achievements Qiao Ze could produce at the Xilin University of Technology School of Mathematics.
Although he still didn't really hope for Qiao Ze's incoming letters and his replies to be seen by others, he still planned to keep these two letters.
Who knows, just like Xu Dajiang said, if Qiao Ze stands out in the future, these two letters could become an anecdote in the academic community, right?
Even though he was already a professor, and Qiao Ze was still a high school student,
But by the time Qiao Ze becomes a great mathematician, his reply might be interpreted as recognizing a talent with a discerning eye...
Well, being the background board for a top mathematician, that's also damn good!
...
After Zhao Guangyao left, Xu Dajiang calmed down for a moment, then picked up his phone and directly called Zhuo Wenyu.
He truly couldn't feel at ease if he didn't expedite transferring a child like Qiao Ze's student status to the University.
The School of Mathematics couldn't directly interface with high schools, let alone with the additional hurdle of cross-provincial education departments. It needed to be handled by the specialized people in the admissions office.
As soon as the call connected, Xu Dajiang went straight to the point and said, "Director Zhuo, I need a favor. Can your admissions office coordinate with Qiao Ze's previous high school as soon as possible to expedite the transfer of the kid's student status over?"
"What?"
"Qiao Ze's student status might be a problem? The agreement we signed isn't recognized by the University?"
"Don't joke with me!"
"Who! Who the hell is blocking it?!"
"What? Zhang Xiaoquan?! How dare he?!"
"Wait for me in your office, I'm coming over right now!"