课程信息

主题：The Development of Modern Mathematics and Physics

时间：2026.5.12（周二）19:20-20:55

线下地址：大礼堂

主讲人：丘成桐

主办单位：清华大学求真书院

讲座介绍

There are two most important subjects that form the foundation of modern science: mathematics and physics. These two subjects were extremely close before the 20th century. Most physicists were mathematicians, and many mathematicians were physicists. Newton and Maxwell made enough contributions to mathematics that they deserve to be called mathematicians. Conversely, Euler, Lagrange, Hamilton, Laplace, Gauss, and Riemann certainly deserve to be called physicists based on their contributions to physics.

Both physicists and mathematicians were looking for general laws governing nature. The only difference is that the concept of nature is much broader in the eyes of mathematicians. The objects can be more abstract, such as manifolds, which we know describe nature. By contrast, physicists insist that only those objects on which experiments can be performed should be called nature. This difference of opinion has created misunderstandings for about a century. Although mathematicians made tremendous contributions, those contributions were not always given the recognition they deserved within physics.

主讲人介绍

丘成桐，菲尔兹奖首位华人得主，中国科学院外籍院士，俄罗斯科学院外籍院士，美国国家科学院院士，美国艺术与科学院院士。现任清华大学讲席教授，清华大学丘成桐数学科学中心主任、求真书院院长，北京雁栖湖应用数学研究院院长。