PhD at 93!
“A 93-year-old former vicar and train enthusiast has become the oldest person in the world to gain a PhD.”
I find him interesting because I used to think one is “past it” academically by 25 considering that almost all geniuses come out with their best works before hitting 30. I am over 30 and having been flirting with the idea of doing something in the field of mathematics for a while now, what the famous English mathematician – G.H Hardy – has to say in his wonderful book on the aesthetics of mathematics – A Mathematicians Apology – does very little by way of encouragement. Chapter 4 begins with…
I had better say something here about this question of age, since it is particularly important for
mathematicians. No mathematician should ever allow himself to forget that mathematics, more
than any other art or science is a young man’s game. To take a simple illustration at a comparatively
humble level, the average age of election to the Royal Society is lowest in mathematics.
Trying hard to find something positive in this article I realized that this former vicar is a bit of a book worm.
Reverend Edgar Dowse, who does not own a computer and dictated his thesis, already has six other degrees.
Six other degrees?
At least this man puts his brains to very good use.
