17 Replies to “RIP Freeman Dyson”

  1. The world is a poorer place with his passing. He was a man of faith and possessed an often wild imagination (look up what Dyson spheres are!). He is one of the last of his generation of great thinkers.

    Farewell, sir, and we thank you.

  2. He was very honest and gutsy, and spoke out against the hypothesis of man-caused global warming early and often. How many world famous scientists are willing to do that today? He was a from a generation that was, on the whole, much more honest than those that have followed it.

  3. One of the greatest physicists of the past hundred years. He was the living proof that you do not have to have a PhD to do leading edge physics. He was one of the leaders of Project Orion in the 1960s, a proposal to develop nuclear propulsion for space flight. Which showed just how great a visionary he was.

    1. Concerning his lack of a doctorate, the story I heard was that he didn’t see the point or need in earning one. When he was much younger, one didn’t necessarily need one to be a university professor.

      1. Absolutely accurate, BA. He thought it was a waste of time. This is a much more difficult sell in modern times when everyone is much more concerned about credentials. You see this all the time in things like climate change debates.

        1. When I was an undergrad (during, I think, the Devonian Era), engineering professors without doctorates were not unusual. Their expertise and experience were sufficient for them to get faculty positions.

  6. Along with my brother and sister-in-law, I had the honour of meeting Mr. Dyson at his office in Princeton four years ago. The three hours flew by. Touched on numerous subjects and he related many stories regarding his career, colleagues and family whom he obviously loved deeply. In awe of his intellect and accomplishments before we met him, we came away even more impressed with how truly humble and down to earth he was. An unforgettable afternoon. A great man.

    1. Actually, Einstein did earn a doctorate. When he couldn’t get a faculty position, he took a job at the Swiss patent office. Since the work wasn’t particularly mind-taxing, he had time to dabble in his research, one result being his theory of special relativity.

      Tesla, from what I understand, never even finished a bachelor’s degree. Then again, during his lifetime, much of the science being investigated was so new that just about anyone could easily become an expert in any given field. Edison and the Wrights were other examples of that.

  8. Infinite in all directions.
    Very genuine human being.
    From the days of doing instead of preening ones credentials.
    Freeman practised the old science,if you cannot explain your findings to an intelligent 12 year old,you do not understand your subject as well as you imagine you do.
    Real scientists love to explain their studies.
    Modern Scientologists denigrate and slander those who question.
    Well he had a great run and showed grace in living.

  10. I liked Freeman’s sheer Brilliance ! Wouldn’t it be refreshing to seen this brilliance in today’s scientists! Have some great discussions in the beyond!!!!

  12. Freeman and his son George are described in the fascinating bio
    “The Starship and the Canoe” by Kenneth Brower.
    George has written “Turing’s Cathedral”, a history of early computing ,
    filled with amusing details: at one time there were exactly 32 bits in the world,
    half held on the screen of a Tektronix display scope at Stanford, half
    in waves in a tube of Mercury at Cambridge! Early days…

    –Bad News

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