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Stephen Hawking Turned Down Knighthood
Posted by
CowboyNeal
on Sat Jun 21, 2008 09:08 AM
from the camelot-is-a-silly-place dept.
from the camelot-is-a-silly-place dept.
schliz writes "Professor Stephen Hawking has revealed that he turned down the offer of a knighthood over 10 years ago. The scientist has released correspondence showing that he was approached with the offer of a knighthood but refused it on principle. Professor Hawking has also revealed correspondence showing harsh criticism of what he sees as the UK government's mismanagement of science funding. He is particularly critical of the merger of the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council and the Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils."
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What do you get with knighthood? (Score:5, Funny)
Lots of women? The ability to do +2 damage? What's the deal and why would someone want it?
Re:What do you get with knighthood? (Score:5, Interesting)
I find it particularly interesting, as I'd backed a Downing Street petition [pm.gov.uk] to get Prof. Hawking Knighted - and the Government response was:
To be fair, as one of the best scientific minds of his generation, it's typically British to ignore him during his lifetime - give it 200 years or so after his death before it'll be realized how important he was.
Parent
Re:What do you get with knighthood? (Score:5, Interesting)
Only he wasn't ignored: he refused the honour.
Parent
Re:What do you get with knighthood? (Score:5, Insightful)
Only he wasn't ignored: he refused the honour.
Having said that, it is a norm for the UK to have less focus on rewarding people like Prof. Hawking, instead focussing on a popular celebrity - a New Labour way of showing that they are 'in touch' with the populace.
Parent
Re:What do you get with knighthood? (Score:5, Insightful)
Parent
Re:What do you get with knighthood? (Score:5, Interesting)
Then again, there is a purpose to accepting such honours.
You can return them afterwards as a sign of protest, and it echoes more loudly than simply refusing them in the first place.
Parent
Re:What do you get with knighthood? (Score:5, Interesting)
Stephen Hawking is hardly "ignored". In fact, I'm struggling to think of a physicist less ignored. He's the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge, has had a book stay on the British bestseller list for 5 years, and has been the subject of numerous documentaries, to name a few. If he's as well appreciated 200 years after his death as he is during his life, then he'll have been proved important.
Parent
Re:What do you get with knighthood? (Score:5, Informative)
> In fact I have trouble thinking of an example that fits your claim. Basically the key to British (and most) fame is to be famous in your lifetime first.
What about Alan Turing? Of course he is still much better received abroad than in his own country, but he is a perfect example of an unrecognised genius. He was used to win the war, and then dumped like a hot potato.
Parent
Re:What do you get with knighthood? (Score:5, Interesting)
A good example, but it seems the exception. The British are usually ready to laud anyone they can. Turing was generally turned away because of his homosexuality and a suspicion that he might be Communist.
Parent
Re:What do you get with knighthood? (Score:5, Interesting)
Well, it's an honor. It's recognition, which is nice, but which Hawking doesn't exactly need more of.
If Wayne Gretsky was denied membership in the Hockey Hall of Fame, it wouldn't diminish his stature one bit. He might be annoyed at not being inducted, but in truth it's the Hall of Fame that is diminished. If he had a reason to refuse membership, he could do so, knowing of course that he'd effectively have to be in it, because players of the era couldn't be honored without mentioning him.
As far as women are concerned, apparently Einstein had plenty of 'em, and he wasn't exactly physically attractive. I'm sure that if Hawking's equipment is functional, he could use it on a different woman every day if he wanted to. So he doesn't get more women, no. But a lesser luminary might. Consider if you are introduced to a woman as "Dr. So and So, who is a physicist" as opposed to "Sir So and So, the physicist." To the degree being a physicist might move you towards home base (or whatever the cricket equivalent is), I'd imagine the knighthood might get you a bit farther.
Parent
Re:What do you get with knighthood? (Score:5, Funny)
You get to move one space to the left or right whenever you walk forward.
The chicks love it.
Parent
Re:What do you get with knighthood? (Score:5, Funny)
His wheelchair will now be able to strafe.
Parent
You want some Knighthoood? (Score:5, Funny)
(robot voice)"No, you can keep it. I will not risk valorous death for someone who mismanages the government funding of my chosen profession.
"No, you don't understand..."
(loud robot voice)"I SAID KEEP IT!"
source of knighthood vs source of funding (Score:5, Interesting)
I thought knighthoods were handed out by the monarch as special recognition of one's accomplishments. It's the queen's way of saying thanks for being such an outstanding citizen. If you have a beef with the prime minister(s) and their budgeting priority that's not the queen's fault. Seems rather rude to slap her thanks down for something she's not in charge of.
Re:source of knighthood vs source of funding (Score:5, Informative)
Parent
Re:source of knighthood vs source of funding (Score:5, Funny)
Parent
Reading comprehension (Score:5, Informative)
It looks to me as though you're confusing two parts of the article. It's actually talking about two sets of correspondence, one about the knighthood and one about funding disputes. On the knighthood, it says:
So he turned the knighthood down because he dislikes knighthood in principle. That seems like a reasonable position, and a willingness to turn down personal advancement on a matter of principle seems like an honorable decision. The arguments about funding were a separate issue and, apparently, one that came about some time after he turned down the knighthood.
Parent
Re:source of knighthood vs source of funding (Score:4, Informative)
Its the govt who decide who gets "honored". The monarch is pretty much just the person who makes the announcement. So, Hawking's "slap" was fairly squarely aimed at Blair and co.
Regarding who honors actually get dished out to, y'know the Darling brothers - Codemasters founders - got honored just recently? Its really not just celebs, musicians and sporty types.
http://arstechnica.com/journals/thumbs.ars/2008/06/18/codemasters-founders-honored-by-queen-of-england [arstechnica.com]
Parent
I hate when that happens (Score:5, Funny)
Re:I hate when that happens (Score:5, Funny)
Parent
Good for him (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Good for him (Score:5, Interesting)
I was told a story about a Pharmacist in a hospital who had his name - 'Dr. Bob Smith' (example) on the door. Now, the hospital forced him to take the Dr off, despite him actually having a doctorate, unlike most of the doctors who have it on their doors in the hospital, because he wasn't a medical doctor and it'd confuse people. I, personally, think that's insane.
Parent
Re:Good for him (Score:5, Informative)
It is not all advertising. He quietly refused the title ten years ago and this is the first we've heard of it as far as I'm aware. Everything points to this being a point of principle for him, not a means of gaining publicity. I guess you've shown that it sometimes is possible to be too cynical after all.
Parent
Re:Ixnay on the Itlestay (Score:4, Insightful)
Parent
Re:Ixnay on the Itlestay (Score:5, Insightful)
In America, if you're capable of learning, you're supposed to hide the fact. Demonstrating the capacity to learn is guaranteed to get to ridiculed for being a "flip-flopper". It's considered a sign of strength and character to never change you mind no matter what you learn or how circumstances change. :p
Parent