Is mathematics (and theoretical physics) the type of field where you don't need to have, money, connections to academia, or even a degree to contribute to research?
Its intriguing how Ramanujan was able to generate his proofs in the slums of India without a proper college education. Or how Einstein formulated his theory of relativity while working as a lowly patent clerk. Or how Perelman solved the Poincare conjecture while unemployed and living in an apartment with his mother in Russia.
>>7687242
Math books are expensive. Of course you can use libgen. But then you'll probably get distracted and decide to post on 4chan instead of reading them.
>>7687242
>Einstein formulated
>his theory
top kek
Also this guy:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yitang_Zhang
So, no, you don't need an academic position to publish
>>7687249
Are you a "Lebinz thought of it first" man?
He did say time and space were relative long before Einstein but I don't think that constitutes developing the theory first.
>was able to made up 1+2+3+...=-1/12 troll
>omg he is so best
>>7687261
As opposed to other important mathematicians who computed other classically infinite sums decades before him?
Ramanujan summation isn't more or less a theory that the one telling you how to compute [math] \sum_{n=0}^\infty (3^{-n}+7^{-2n}) [/math]
>Ramanujan
>proofs
>>7687248
>you'll probably get distracted and decide to post on 4chan instead of reading them.
I doesn't matter what I do it always happens ....
Fuck
>>7687292
Can't do it, not even if sober. Can't get that engine turned over.
No no, not even if sober. CAN'T GET THAT ENGINE TURNED OVER.
>>7687261
>doesn't even know what Ramanujan's mock modular forms are
kek
>>7687242
If you're a freak of nature like Ramanujan or Perelman, then sure. If you're not 1/1000000000, then not so much
>>7687294
Whut m8?
Well, yes in a way. All it requires is an access to a computer to write the stuff on, an access to the internet to publish it, an access to a good library and money to live, but this would be pretty hard.
Sadly Academia has changed massively in the past few decades, so the answer is no.
>>7687242
>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yitang_Zhang
Well Ramanujan was discovered by G. H. Hardy who was one of the most established mathematicans at the time and Perelman had a Research position at the Steklow-Instititue till he left in 2005 over some disagreement, so it´s not like he was some unknown basement-dweller. I don´t know about Einstein, but since most people aren´t the Genius-of-the-century type I´d rather take a look at more "ordinary" research and as far as I can tell there aren´t many people without any kind of academic degree and connection that have published in a significant way.
>>7687242
>have billions of people
>can only bring up one guy
I mean, i don't want to imply indians are inferiors subhumans, but...
>>7687242
Romanticises the notion of "genius", doesn't it?
>>7687242
No, you don't "need" a degree. It's just that mathematical ability is highly correlated with a position in academia. The question you should be asking is not whether you need a degree, but whether you are intelligent enough to be a mathematician. The answer is no.
You don't really but at this point everything is so specialized and tightly bound it would be very very difficult. Also Ramanujan was a prodigy/freak of nature. Definitely not the rule.
>>7687242
>Or how Einstein formulated his theory of relativity while working as a lowly patent clerk
This isn't true. He held an important post at a major institution. He decided whether a proposed patent would be accepted or not after all. From what I've heard you needed a Ph.D. to even start working there.
>>7688279
I don't think it's that, really. Plenty of people intelligent enough to be mathematicians are working in high paying jobs. Most of the people outside of academia who are capable of high quality research are already busy with something else. And even if they're not, there's no real incentive. I've considered it myself; the fact is that publishing a paper and presenting it at a conference is expensive and a real pain in the ass, and generally it doesn't get much of an audience anyway. There's little reason to do so unless you're part of an organization that encourages it, covers the costs, etc. Otherwise you can just publish it in a more informal way as a blog post or whatever, or just do it by yourself as a personal hobby.
Anyway computer science, signal processing, etc. are other fields where you don't need any physical resources to make a substantial contribution.
>>7687497
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPI1xj3y7vw
>>7687242
Ramanujan lived in times where mathematics wasn't so developed that a formal education wasn't necessary to contribute. You couldn't do that in modern times.
Einstein and Perelman both had Phd's. I know that it's factual that Einstein maintained a strong connection with academia. Perelman probably did too. You need the latter two in order to do anything. The one thing I guess you don't need for theoretical physics and math is money.
>>7688455
He didn't have a PhD.
People do spread allot of misinformation like that he failed math class, not true, but he really wasn't high up in acedmia when he published his first 5 papers.
>>7688535
Einstein got a PhD later he didn't have one when he published his first 5 papers.
>>7687294
>he uses personal memes
HERE'S JOHNNY!
