"...I can't give you an answer right away. This requires the opinion of my partner. Of course, I think the possibility of his refusal is very small. On key issues related to the progress of the project, our judgments are always unexpected. unanimous."
Fefferman had been watching with interest, but he did not expect that the ball would be kicked to his feet. Fefferman was stunned for a moment, and then he laughed and said: "...Me? Does this topic have anything to do with me?"
"I swear to God," Krugman said, raising three fingers together, "if I lie, Satan will take my soul."
Freeze hibernation.
Almost as soon as he took the high-speed train to return home, the 301 Hospital and the Jinling Institute for Advanced Study finally belatedly released the news that a certain Fields Medal winner had received cryo-sleep treatment.
Angus: "This is not economics, this is evolution, biology... In other words, human nature."
At this moment, Lu Zhou didn't know that the behavior of one of his old friends might cause him a lot of trouble.
He originally thought that those words were enough to impress him, but unexpectedly it failed.
Professor Krugman said with a straight face: "If you actually read my paper, you wouldn't say that."
After being silent for a long time, Professor Fefferman suddenly looked up at Professor Angus.
Krugman opened his mouth and said: "Okay... It seems that our Professor Angus invited more than one person."
After quickly flipping through the manuscript in ten minutes, Krugman handed it back to Angus and said with a complex expression.
However, at this moment, Professor Krugman suddenly said, "Professor Lu said that after he solves the Riemann Hypothesis, he will consider participating in our research."
Princeton.
Professor Angus: "Of course I read your paper. More than that, I have been following your research results for a while. After all, few economists are interested in the distant future, as we often say The future is unpredictable.”
After all, Krugman spent about ten minutes retelling his entire research results. Especially for "Human society will be likely to break the long-term equality that human society has achieved and is constantly strengthening from the French Revolution to the present because of the birth of this technology, and ultimately it will be like what has happened countless times before." , from a new excess of inequality to a new equality," he spent a lot of time describing.
The whole of Princeton has been talking about this recently.
As soon as he heard his old friend talk about his recent research, a look of interest suddenly appeared on Krugman's face, and he pulled up a chair and sat next to the two of them in high spirits.
There were footsteps in the corridor outside the coffee shop.
He patiently listened to the impassioned speech of his old friend, and waited until the waiter brought the cup of coffee he ordered. He finally stopped talking because his mouth was dry, and Professor Angus smiled softly and said.
Fefferman: "...Approximately when?"
Krugman: "...What? I can't believe that our Professor Angus is actually interested in my research."
"Yes," Professor Angus nodded, "Prediction is also a part of analysis, just like our eyes and brain. Only by understanding can we judge whether it is correct or not. How about it? Do you want to join in?"
However, maybe even if he knew, he wouldn't blame him too much.
However, Lu Zhou himself seems to be surprisingly calm. He seems to have disappeared from the Internet these days. Neither Arxiv nor mathoverflow information has been updated. Fefferman also went to look at the scarves that are commonly used in China. He remembered that he seemed to like interacting with netizens on them, and found that the same was true.
Sitting nearby and playing the role of a listener, Fefferman also smiled and said: "It's a very interesting article, although it will take a little effort for me to fully understand it."
"You may not be able to imagine the social changes that this technology may bring. In fact, I didn't think of it until I got on the plane. This may sound weird, but it doesn't matter, I can tell you."
Putting away the manuscript, Professor Angus said: "As early as half a year ago, I published my first paper, which is the part you see at the beginning about the potential discipline of sociology in the future. Overview. There were several articles later, and this manuscript is a simple compilation of these contents. At least I think those contents are enough to support the size of a book."
Although at the time, both Krugman and his companion Albert interpreted that sentence as a tactful rejection.
It's like what he's doing after all.
After a pause, Professor Angus continued to read Fefferman: "Then, what follows is the opinion of another Professor Fefferman who has read my manuscript."
"I once advised him to be cautious about cryo-hibernation. But then I thought about it and realized that there was no need to say those words at all. It would definitely not work. Besides, even if I convinced him, Let him give us more time to be civilized, and this day will always come. The pursuit of survival by living things is eternal. From the moment our ancestors mastered tools, we are destined to have everything we have now, and we are destined to have everything we have now. Every choice we make is designed to help us live longer.”
Generally speaking, scholars in the same field would try to avoid doing this, but Angus didn't seem to care and just said softly.
Soon, an old man wearing a plain shirt walked in from outside.
"When I'm not busy, I'm here almost every afternoon... But there are some exceptions today." Professor Fefferman shrugged, smiled gently, and continued, "It was Professor Angus who invited me here. of."
"There's nothing wrong with it. We've known each other for so many years, and we still have some trust. Besides, it's not just you, Professor Fefferman also saw it just now."
“… the future of sociology?”
Although when it comes to mathematical problems, even as humble as he is, he can't help but feel "arrogant" from the bottom of his heart. This arrogance stems from their proud knowledge and their stubbornness inherited from the last century - mathematics should serve mathematics.
Faced with the olive branch that was suddenly thrown to him, Professor Krugman was slightly surprised and blinked his eyelids unconsciously.
Seeing that Professor Fefferman was about to leave, Professor Angus had a disappointed expression on his face.
It's also almost predictable.
Who would have thought that in just a few days, he would really solve it? !
After clearing his throat, Krugman continued.
After all, with the statement "You can think about it after solving the Riemann Hypothesis...", I believe that anyone who hears this sentence will have the same idea as them.
In fact, he was indeed moved.
"It's okay. This is not a project that can be completed in a day or two. I can wait quietly... as long as it doesn't take too long."
"Actually... I had expected it."
The waiter nodded, turned and walked towards the bar.
Looking at Fefferman sitting opposite Professor Angus, Krugman glanced at him twice in surprise, obviously not expecting that he would also appear here.
"If it's not too much trouble, let me join in."
"Of course," Professor Angus nodded matter-of-factly and continued, "All the conditions are met, but... we still lack a good mathematician."
Stirring the coffee in the cup with a spoon and looking at the swirl-like milk foam, Professor Angus Deaton continued after a moment of silence.
Under the surprised gazes of the two professors, he smiled slightly and continued.
After taking the manuscript from Professor Angus, Krugman looked at the distinctive handwriting. He was stunned for a moment, and then his face was filled with disbelief and shock. .
Similarly, even if there were no papers by Professor Krugman, there would definitely be someone else who would play this role and fulfill his historical mission.
"...If you say so, please show it to me."
"A long time ago... or just a few years ago, this was actually something that didn't need to be discussed. No matter how we develop willfully, we have no means to directly interfere with future society, let alone much People deliberately plan for the future a hundred years after they no longer exist. Whether we admit it or not, most of the choices we make are based on judgments based on the current situation."
"But now this tacit understanding has been broken. When some people start to think about how to pave the way for the future, things often become troublesome. Maybe in a few years, it will not only be soybeans that are traded in futures, but also the future." All currencies will have the attributes of futures trading.”
…
After a pause, Professor Angus continued.
"No problem, it's right here."
Krugman said with some excitement: "Is there anything greater than the future?"
Krugman opened his mouth and said with regret.
This sentence seems to have worked.
Professor Fefferman opened his mouth, was silent for a while and said: "I think... I have to think about it and give you an answer. In fact, Professor Faltings invited me to participate in a great project. I'm not sure there is any There’s no such time.”
Professor Angus: "It doesn't matter how many people you invite. I'm more interested in your research... I noticed that you recently submitted a paper? About the impact of cryo-sleep technology on macroeconomics." of."
Krugman answered truthfully: "The day before the IMU conference, we happened to bump into each other at Perelman's house, and I extended an invitation to him..."
Like most mathematicians at Princeton.
The café of the Institute for Advanced Study.
"... I didn't expect that someone would get ahead of me."
"I have an unpublished manuscript here...are you interested?"
Even if he doesn't come to promote this technology, someone will definitely bring this technology to the world in ten or twenty years. Especially in the context of today's space race, cryo-sleep technology is written in the corner of the aerospace research and development project outlines of the two superpowers at the same time. Maybe this day is just something that will happen in the next ten or twenty years.
"... Lu Zhou? Is that what he said?"
"Of course, I wrote that paper. I didn't expect you to see it... Thank you for a glass of mocha."
Professor Angus smiled and said: "You are a little surprised to find me now. I originally thought that a person like you who loves to think wildly would know these things better than me. After all, if it were me, I would definitely not be able to be serious. Writing a paper with a title like "The Theory of Interstellar Trade" has a strong Hollywood flavor."
"I didn't expect him to do this."
I have to say, this is a very tempting proposition.
"It's nothing to believe. The topic you are working on and what I want to do are actually the same. Just like your interest in my manuscript, our interests are common."
"…I changed my mind."
Sitting in a seat by the window, facing his old friend Professor Angus Deaton sitting opposite him, Professor Fefferman suddenly sighed softly and said.
"That's hard to say. Rather than knowing what will most likely happen in the future, I think living well in the present is more conducive to welcoming a better future." Glancing at the watch on his left hand, Fefferman stretched out his hand to He picked up the coffee cup, drank the remaining coffee in one gulp, and then put the cup down, "I have a discussion meeting later, so I won't stay here any longer."
A little interested in this statement, Fefferman glanced at him unexpectedly: "Economics still studies this?"
"Sorry, I'm a little late... Fefferman? Are you here too?"
At least Professor Fefferman's fingers on the coffee cup suddenly stopped.
He was about to stand up but sat back, looked at Professor Krugman and frowned.
"I'm interested in what you have to say."
"Our work may not be important, but someone must do the theoretical work. At least when problems occur, we can provide some objective reference for those cautious decision-makers."
Lu Zhou, who had already had a premonition of what would happen, took the high-speed train back to his hometown the day after the lecture at the Medical University.
Although I know in my heart that this is probably the best choice, not everyone can accept this choice, especially the students of Miss Vera Puyoi. Whether it is about the lovely and respectable teacher who was diagnosed The matter of terminal lung cancer and the fact that her respected mentor actually "frozen" her and sent her to the future aroused considerable controversy.
Following the sensation caused by the Riemann Hypothesis, the headline position of the international mainstream media was once again occupied by Professor Lu...
However…
"... Have you finished it? When... wrote it? Don't tell me it was just these days."
Sociology of the future!
Professor Krugman, still holding the coffee cup in his hand, was slightly stunned and asked: "Is this okay?"
If it hadn't been for Vera's incident, why would he be sitting here talking to Professor Angus now? He might have happily reached a consensus in St. Petersburg and started studying this topic.
In fact, although I am very interested in the things they discuss and their ideas. But if he wants to participate, he is still a little... not so willing.