Chapter 56: I’m Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants
Lin Ran gave an embarrassed laugh.
Newton stood on the shoulders of giants, but he stood on the shoulders of those who came after.
He really wanted to tell Seagull that number theory was just a hobby; he only had a basic understanding of number theory, and what he was truly good at was partial differential equations.
Whether Fermat’s Last Theorem or Fermat’s Diophantine Conjecture, all of these relied on the wisdom of those who came after. Only the N-S equations were solved by him on his own.
If he published the N-S equations, he would be the Mathematical Emperor.
However, Lin Ran did not want to do that yet.
If the N-S equations were published, with America’s and Russia’s strength, who knows how far they would advance intercontinental missiles—other countries would truly have no counterattack power at all.
In this spacetime’s China, the strategic maneuvering space would be further compressed.
Lin Ran could only pretend to be greatly inspired. “Professor, being able to make even a small contribution to the mathematics community means I haven’t failed the teaching I received when studying in Göttingen, and I haven’t tarnished the reputation of Göttingen as the mathematical holy land.”
Seagull had been waiting for him to say that. “No, no, everything you’ve done adds luster to Göttingen.
Professor Hilbert summarized 23 mathematical problems at the second International Congress of Mathematicians in 1900. In the sixty years since, all the important achievements in the mathematics community have, to a greater or lesser extent, been connected to these 23 mathematical problems.
You proposed the Randolph Program in 1960, laying the first cornerstone for the grand unification of mathematics. I believe that the important achievements in the mathematics community over the next sixty years will similarly be related to the Randolph Program.
This is the relay of Göttingen as the mathematical holy land, the best proof that after experiencing the fires of war, division, and unrest, Germany still has Göttingen as Göttingen.”
Lin Ran thought to himself upon hearing this that he really did come from sixty years in the future.
Seagull didn’t correct him at all about the fact that Lin Ran had never studied in Göttingen. Even he, Lin Ran, and Horkheimer present there all knew very well that Lin Ran had only stayed in Göttingen for one day—and that day was just to talk to him about helping solve the PhD degree issue.
So what if it was one day? One day was still the result of Göttingen’s teaching! Seagull felt it was entirely natural.
As for Göttingen’s reputation being supported by someone of Chinese descent, in Germany that had experienced World War II and the Nazis, that was even less of an issue.
In Germany at this time, no one dared to mention anything about pure Germans—that would be asking for death.
Not to mention that Seagull himself was of Jewish descent.
“So Göttingen sincerely invites you to return to Göttingen to teach. We can guarantee compensation no less than that of Columbia University.” Seagull had already gotten down to business, grasping Lin Ran’s hand with a look full of sincerity.
Lin Ran thought to himself, as expected, then glanced at Professor Horkheimer, thinking that it was really okay for the other to poach him so openly right in front of him.
But fortunately, he had the best shield. Lin Ran said:
“Professor, it is a great honor to receive an invitation from my alma mater, but unfortunately I am still studying for my PhD under Professor Horkheimer. Could you allow me to consider it after I obtain my philosophy PhD?”
Professor Horkheimer chimed in at the right moment: “That’s right, Randolph. How did you find the essential philosophy introductory readings I had you look at when you went to Hong Kong?”
Seagull was stunned. So I’m not Randolph’s only mentor—Horkheimer, you rascal, you want a piece of the pie too.
“Professor, I’ve finished all the books you gave me.
Among them, the discussion of the antinomies in the Dialectic in Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason has been read and reread carefully, and sections 260-360 of Hegel’s Elements of the Philosophy of Right have also been read repeatedly.
However, the manuscripts you gave me, Dialectic of Enlightenment and One-Dimensional Man, have only been skimmed once so far.”
Dialectic of Enlightenment was co-authored by Horkheimer and Adorno—that was the Adorno Horkheimer had mentioned earlier regarding unmodulated collectives.
The original book was published in 1947, and the manuscript Horkheimer gave him included a large number of annotations by him and Adorno.
The latter, One-Dimensional Man, was written by Marcuse and wouldn’t be published until 1964. What was given to Lin Ran was also a manuscript version with annotations by Marcuse and Horkheimer.
Just bringing these two manuscripts back to 2020 would allow him to easily get a philosophy PhD at Columbia University and stay on as faculty.
Publishing a few papers and becoming an influential scholar in the Frankfurt School would be no problem at all.
Whip these out—who would dare say I’m not Horkheimer’s successor?
To be precise, all four books had annotations by Horkheimer, including in Elements of the Philosophy of Right where Horkheimer wrote:
“If you kneel to read Hegel, you are unworthy to criticize Marx; but if you stand and curse Marx, you will never understand Hegel.”
When Lin Ran saw this passage, he thought that in future China’s humanities and social sciences fields, scholars would kneel in droves to read all Western philosophical works, not daring to have the slightest doubt.
“Actually, Max, if you want to come teach at our Göttingen, that’s completely fine.” Seagull suggested.
The more he thought about it, the better an idea it seemed. Horkheimer was a top-tier expert in philosophy—buy one get one free, what could be better?
“Anyway, you’re getting on in years and could consider coming to our Göttingen to spend your later years. The air, weather, and environment in Göttingen are all quite nice.” Seagull continued.
Horkheimer interrupted irritably: “If I want to return to Germany, don’t I know to go back to Frankfurt?”
Göttingen was some countryside place without even an airport—you’d have to transfer in Frankfurt to get to New York! It was just like how people from Shanghai looked down on Gusu, and people from Gusu had to go to Shanghai airport to fly.
“Professor, how about this: I’m willing to accept a visiting professor position at Göttingen and come to teach there for some time each year.
Additionally, I should be going to London around Christmas at the end of the year for Queen Elizabeth’s knighting ceremony, and I can stop by Göttingen then for a round of academic lectures. What do you think?” Lin Ran looked toward Seagull.
Seagull knew this was already the best outcome and said helplessly: “Alright, alright.”
Then he turned to Horkheimer: “You must reimburse my flight ticket back to Frankfurt! If I couldn’t bring Randolph back, Döblin really might refuse to reimburse my flight ticket.”
Lin Ran counted as half brought back this way, so the flight ticket money could probably still be reimbursed. Having Horkheimer help buy it meant he could even earn a flight ticket’s worth—after all, what Horkheimer bought was still reimbursed by Columbia University. Money from rich people shouldn’t go to waste, Seagull thought.
Horkheimer agreed immediately—after all, he had more research funds than he could use. Seagull then said he would go wander around Columbia University Mathematics Department to see old friends, leaving only Horkheimer and Lin Ran in the office.
Lin Ran then told him about the progress on his collaboration with John Morgan, as well as the fact that the other would take him to Nixon’s fundraising dinner that evening, hoping to get some suggestions from Horkheimer.
“Got it. Have fun—these dinners get pretty wild, so just be careful not to catch anything.”
