Part 12 (2/2)

An Interlude of Enforced Rationality July 1961April 1963 July 1961April 1963

When I had been long enough hospitalized I would finally renounceof myself as a human of more conventional circuraphy, 1995 nobel autobiography, 1995

A MAN EXPERIENCING MAN EXPERIENCING a remission of a physical illnesshis old activities But so privy to coshts are no longer his to enjoy, is bound to have a very different reaction For Nash, the recovery of his everyday rational thought processes produced a sense of di relevance and clarity of his thinking, which his doctor, wife, and colleagues hailed as an iraphical essay, written after he won the nobel, Nash writes that ”rational thought imposes a limit on a person's concept of his relation to the cosmos” a remission of a physical illnesshis old activities But so privy to coshts are no longer his to enjoy, is bound to have a very different reaction For Nash, the recovery of his everyday rational thought processes produced a sense of di relevance and clarity of his thinking, which his doctor, wife, and colleagues hailed as an iraphical essay, written after he won the nobel, Nash writes that ”rational thought imposes a limit on a person's concept of his relation to the cosmos”1 He refers to remissions not as joyful returns to a healthy state but as ”interludes, as it were, of enforced rationality” His regretful tone brings toman with schizophrenia, who invented a theory of ”psychoist Louis Sass: ”People kept thinking I was regainingto siht” He refers to remissions not as joyful returns to a healthy state but as ”interludes, as it were, of enforced rationality” His regretful tone brings toman with schizophrenia, who invented a theory of ”psychoist Louis Sass: ”People kept thinking I was regainingto siht”2 It is possible, naturally, that Nash's feeling reflected an actual dulling of his cognitive capacities relative not just to his exalted states, but to his abilities before the onset of his psychosis3 The consciousness of how much his circumstances in life, not to mention his prospects, were altered compounded his distress At thirty-three, he was out of work, branded as a former mental patient, and dependent on the kindness of forues Excerpts from a letter to Donald Spencer written around the tiest how modest Nash's view of reality had become: The consciousness of how much his circumstances in life, not to mention his prospects, were altered compounded his distress At thirty-three, he was out of work, branded as a former mental patient, and dependent on the kindness of forues Excerpts from a letter to Donald Spencer written around the tiest how modest Nash's view of reality had become: In my situation and anticipated situation a fellowshi+pwith the idea being that I a research work and studies, etc see position For one thing, much of the conceivable worry overthe i been in a state mental hospital would be thereby by-passed4

With the help of Spencer, as on the Princeton faculty, and several members of the permanent mathematics faculty at the Institute for Advanced Study - Aromery - a one-year research appointed5 Oppenheimer found six thousand dollars of National Science Foundation money to support Nash Oppenheimer found six thousand dollars of National Science Foundation money to support Nash6 Nash's application, datecl July 19, 1961, stated that he wished to ”continue the study of partial differential equations” and mentioned ”other research interests, some related to my earlier work,” as well Nash's application, datecl July 19, 1961, stated that he wished to ”continue the study of partial differential equations” and mentioned ”other research interests, some related to my earlier work,” as well7 In late July, Alicia's , handso occasion for1961!”8 Then, at the beginning of August, Nash attended a mathematics conference in Colorado where he ran into a nu excursion with Spencer, an enthusiasticof August, Nash attended a mathematics conference in Colorado where he ran into a nu excursion with Spencer, an enthusiastic mountaineer, to cliether once more, but not especially happily The turbulence of the two previous years had produced an accu coldness lingered and was exacerbated by new conflicts overNone of this was made easier by the fact that Nash's in-la lived with them Carlos Larde's health had deteriorated markedly, and he and his wife Alicia moved to Princeton that fall The two couples shared a house at 137 Spruce Street10 It was a great help that Mrs Larde cared for Johnny while Alicia went to work, but living together created another layer of strain, especially for Alicia It was a great help that Mrs Larde cared for Johnny while Alicia went to work, but living together created another layer of strain, especially for Alicia

They tried to make the best of it Nash atte him up at nursery school and the like They socialized with the Nelsons, the Milnors, and a few others Once or twice, they drove up to Massachusetts to visit John and Odette Danskin, who had moved there the previous fall, and to see John Stier11 The visits were rather fraught and Eleanor used to call John Danskin afterward to complain about Nash On one visit, apparently, Nash had co, 'How cheap!' ” Odette recalled The visits were rather fraught and Eleanor used to call John Danskin afterward to complain about Nash On one visit, apparently, Nash had co, 'How cheap!' ” Odette recalled12 In early October, Nash attended a anized by Oskar Morgenstern, and attended by virtually the entire game-theory community, amounted to a celebration of cooperative theory There The conference, organized by Oskar Morgenstern, and attended by virtually the entire game-theory community, amounted to a celebration of cooperative theory There was littleBut John Harsanyi, a Hungarian, Reinhard Selten, a Ger, mostly silent, were all there was littleBut John Harsanyi, a Hungarian, Reinhard Selten, a Ger, mostly silent, were all there14 This was the first tiain until they traveled to Stockholm a quarter of a century later to accept nobel Prizes Harsanyi re one of the Princeton people why Nash said so little during the sessions The answer, Harsanyi recalled, in a conversation in Jerusalee and humiliate himself” This was the first tiain until they traveled to Stockholm a quarter of a century later to accept nobel Prizes Harsanyi re one of the Princeton people why Nash said so little during the sessions The answer, Harsanyi recalled, in a conversation in Jerusalee and hu he had not been able to do for nearly three years He turned once more to the mathematical analysis of the motion of fluids and certain types of nonlinear partial differential equations that can be used as models for such flows He finished his paper on fluid dynaun while he was in Trenton State hospital16 It was titled ”Le Probleme de Cauchy Pour Les Equations Differentielles d'une Fluide Generale”-and published in 1962 in a French mathematical journal It was titled ”Le Probleme de Cauchy Pour Les Equations Differentielles d'une Fluide Generale”-and published in 1962 in a French mathematical journal17 The paper, which Nash and others have described as ”quite a respectable piece of work” The paper, which Nash and others have described as ”quite a respectable piece of work”18 and which the and which the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Mathematics Encyclopedic Dictionary of Matheood deal of subsequent work on the so-called ”Cauchy probleeneral Navier-Stokes equations” In the paper, Nash was able to prove the existence of unique regular solutions in local tiood deal of subsequent work on the so-called ”Cauchy probleeneral Navier-Stokes equations” In the paper, Nash was able to prove the existence of unique regular solutions in local time19 ”After Nash's hospitalization he caood for him to be at the IAS Not everybody on the Princeton faculty was very friendly It's true that he didn't speak He wrote everything on blackboards He was perfectly articulate in writing He gave a lecture on Navier-Stokes equations - which concern hydrodyna I don't know much about He seemed fairly normal for a while”20 He was most at ease in one-on-one encounters where his sense of humor came to his aid Gillian Richardson, as on the staff of the institute's co lunch with Nash in the institute dining hall and Nash's saying all sorts of dry, wry things about psychiatrists One tiood psychiatrist in Princeton?” - adding that his own psychiatrist ” 'sat on a throne way above' him, and he wondered if I knew one who didn't share that peculiarity”21 Nash showed up in French 105, the third-semester French course at the university, one day and asked Karl Uitti if he could audit it He struck the French professor as ”the typically dreaularly and kept up with the work He see up conversational ”tourist French” than in acquiring ”a sense of French structure,” Uitti recalled, adding, ”He was quite pro-French He liked the language and the people” Nash attended quite regularly and kept up with the work He see up conversational ”tourist French” than in acquiring ”a sense of French structure,” Uitti recalled, adding, ”He was quite pro-French He liked the language and the people”

Uitti and Nash became rather friendly and met outside class, and on a number of occasions with Alicia At so French Nash answered that he riting a mathematical paper ”There was only one person in the world ould be able to understand it and that person was French He wanted, therefore, to write the paper in French,” Uitti said Uitti could not recall Nash's intended audience; chances are it was either Leray, as at the institute that year, or Grothendieck After the paper was published, Nash gave it to another member of the Institute to read The next time he saw the man, Nash asked him, ”Did you detect the sexual overtones?”23 Uitti commented in 1997: Uitti commented in 1997: That was the ti exerted on French scientists to deliver their papers in French Nash always struck me as very well-bred, very courteous I'm certain that there was in histhe paper for It eet of him and I liked him for it24

Nash asked Jean-Pierre Cauvin to edit a draft of the paper25 Cauvin, as doing quite a bit of translation work at the ti him that ”Paris was the center for this kind of raduate, Hubert Goldsch quite a bit of translation work at the ti him that ”Paris was the center for this kind of raduate, Hubert Goldsch to France He submitted the Cauchy paper to the Bulletin de la Societe Mathematique de France Bulletin de la Societe Matheht, more withdrawn and subdued than ever, and in retrospect it is clear that he was thinking a great deal about leaving Princeton Very likely, he got in touch with Grothendieck at the Institut des Hautes etudes Scientifiques In April Oppenheimer wrote to Leon Motchane, director of the IHES, to ask Motchane to formally invite Nash to spend the first half of the acadeht, more withdrawn and subdued than ever, and in retrospect it is clear that he was thinking a great deal about leaving Princeton Very likely, he got in touch with Grothendieck at the Institut des Hautes etudes Scientifiques In April Oppenheimer wrote to Leon Motchane, director of the IHES, to ask Motchane to formally invite Nash to spend the first half of the academic year 1963 - 64 there27 Oppenheimer also asked Leray, as at the institute that year, to see if he could provide a grant from the Centre de la Recherches Nationale Scientifiques for the second half of the year Oppenheimer also asked Leray, as at the institute that year, to see if he could provide a grant from the Centre de la Recherches Nationale Scientifiques for the second half of the year28 At the same time, he noted that Nash would have been welcome to continue at the Institute for a second year: ”If [Nash] asked to stay here for the autuues would probably accede; but that is not his choice” At the same time, he noted that Nash would have been welcome to continue at the Institute for a second year: ”If [Nash] asked to stay here for the autuues would probably accede; but that is not his choice”

Nash did not suggest that Alicia go with him to France, and this tio It was clear that, by soe was over and they were going to go their separate ways

That winter, Nash spent more andup at teatiy, ruraduate student, recalled ”He didn't seeressive In some ways his manner was not that different froraduate student, recalled ”He didn't seeressive In some ways his manner was not that different from a lot ofendless games of Hex The board in Fine had been drawn years before on heavy cardboard and was so worn that the lines had constantly to be redraith a ballpoint pen For a while, Burr and Nash were playing endless games of Hex The board in Fine had been drawn years before on heavy cardboard and was so worn that the lines had constantly to be redraith a ballpoint pen

He was beginning to seeht He seemed to me very diminished His mathematics was not at the same level I found him odd, unpredictable, nonsensical It was very painful The secretaries were afraid of him He was someone to avoid You never knehat he would do or say”30 One time the Borels had Alicia and Nash over for tea ”We served tea and cookies,” said Borel ”Nash went into the kitchen I followed him What do you want?' I asked Well, I'd like some salt and pepper' ”31 Gaby Borel added: ”After he put salt and pepper in his tea, he complained that the tea tasted awful” Gaby Borel added: ”After he put salt and pepper in his tea, he co, his state ofagain to harp on his old obsessions He decided, rather suddenly, to travel to the West Coast, where he saw, araduated froraduate student at Berkeley, Lloyd Shapley, and Al Tucker's former wife, Alice Beckenback, and her new husband Vasquez recalled: I just walked into the common room [at Berkeley] and he was there He was as surprised to see me as I was to see him He didn't announce his visits in advance I had no idea where he was staying But he was around forfor me I had the impression that he'd been in Europe, the East Coast, and that he was traveling around He talked a lot He quite explicitly talked about [insulin] shock therapy He described shock therapy as extremely painful He also said he was taken back from Europe on a shi+p and in chains Slavery was a word he used a lot He was very bitter about his experiences

He was pretty disoriented He wasn't able to talk about anything else but his obsessions I was put off It was odd I never did understand why he talked toto coibberish It was even clever at times, full of puns and allusions33

Shapley, to whoreat many letters, also found Nash's appearance in Santa Monica distressing ”He thought of me as a close friend One had to put up with it He would send me postcards in colored inks It was very sad They were scribbled witha reply I was much on his mind He had decayed in a very spectacular way,” Shapley recalled in 1994 ”He was groping”34 Shapley re hihten it out if I can figure out which me, Shapley said, adding: have this probleure out which me, Shapley said, adding: It was a bit frightening We had two young children What was clear was that there was no way to talk to hi He'd switch froood ht in your mind'35

In June, Nash left for Europe He was due to attend a conference in Paris in the last week in June and the World Matheust He went to London first, where he stayed at the Hotel Russell in Blooot hi letters, soreen ink, in French He was also sending drawings, including one of a prostrate figure pierced with arrows One, postmarked June 14, contained a scrap of paper with the folloritten on it in green ink: 2 + 5 + 20 + 8 + 12 + 15 + 18 + 15 + 13 = 78

The conference at the College de France in Paris was a small and intimate affair, very much dominated by Leray, as very excited at that time about nonlinear hyperbolic equations Ed Nelson, who had become quite friendly with Nash over the acade that it was a scandal that there were no global existence theore he conveyed,” Nelson said, ”was that we had better get to work, or the world ave their talk's in English Lars Hormander, as also there, recalled that ”1962 was very different froave their talk's in English Lars Hormander, as also there, recalled that ”1962 was very different fro his lecture in what he called his ”pidgin French” But Nash insisted on giving his lecture in what he called his ”pidgin French”39 He did not speak extemporaneously but read fro American accent Hormander recalled: ”Nash's paper was respectable mathematically It was a surprise to all of us [that he could have produced it at all] For us it was like seeing sorave” He did not speak extemporaneously but read fro American accent Hormander recalled: ”Nash's paper was respectable mathematically It was a surprise to all of us [that he could have produced it at all] For us it was like seeing sorave”40 His behavior, however, was decidedly odd, Hore, the official conference organizer, had a dinner for the participants At the table, Nash exchanged his plate with the person next to hiain until he was satisfied that his food wasn't poisoned Everybody was very aware of his bizarre behavior but nobody said a word

Malgrange had bought a nice big jar of caviar which was being passed around When the jar ca upside down onto his plate Everybody was very well-behaved and said nothing41

While Nash was still in Paris, on July 2, his father-in-law died suddenly42 Alicia atteh Milnor and Danskin, to contact Nash but was not successful Carlos Larde was buried in the churchyard of St Paul's on Nassau Street Alicia atteh Milnor and Danskin, to contact Nash but was not successful Carlos Larde was buried in the churchyard of St Paul's on Nassau Street

Nash, meanwhile, went back to London What drew hiinal plan had been, presuress in Stockhol academic year, in Paris In any event, Nash was still in London on July 24 when he wrote to Martha from the Hotel Stefan on Talbot Square43 He apparently still intended to travel on to Stockhol her as E-me-line, Martha'sthe tiress in Stockhol some sort of clinic He apparently still intended to travel on to Stockhol her as E-me-line, Martha'sthe tiress in Stockhol some sort of clinic

Danskin recalled that so around the Chinese embassy in London44 The head of the MIT econoement people to London that summer He suddenly saw John Nash and asked him, ”Where are you now?” Puzzled, Nash replied, ”Where are you?” The head of the MIT econoement people to London that summer He suddenly saw John Nash and asked him, ”Where are you now?” Puzzled, Nash replied, ”Where are you?”45 The International Matheust in Stockhol the plenary speakers were Ar The Fields Medals were awarded to Milnor and Lars Hormander, both of whom had been notified in May and instructed to tell no one, leaving each to sit on his secret while others around the the plenary speakers were Ar The Fields Medals were awarded to Milnor and Lars Hormander, both of whom had been notified in May and instructed to tell no one, leaving each to sit on his secret while others around them speculated on the year's likely winners

Nash, who felt that he should have been one of those honored, did not, however, go to Stockhol to the Hotel Alba where he had spent his final week in Deceg”47 The letterabout the question of his identity! He drew an identity card with Chinese characters labeled ”Des Secrets” He wrote ”Could you sign this carte d'identitea e world,” he wrote underneath He sent Virginia another postcard with a picture of Geneva but ain thinking about the question of his identity! He drew an identity card with Chinese characters labeled ”Des Secrets” He wrote ”Could you sign this carte d'identitea e world,” he wrote underneath He sent Virginia another postcard with a picture of Geneva but mailed it from Paris

When Nash returned to Princeton at the end of summer 1962, he was extre c/o Fine Hall, Princeton, New Jersey, arrived in the mathematics department Nash had written only a cryptic reent planes48 Alicia let him move back in He spentscience-fiction prograht Zone49 He riting a greatmany phone calls to reatmany phone calls to mathematicians in Princeton and elsewhere

He was still obsessed with the idea of asylum A letter to Martha and Charlie, postmarked November 19, reads: ”Maybe you will say that I'm madrequest to St Paul's in Princeton for sanctuary”50 Nash apparently walked past St Paul's every day The letter referred to the Ecumenical Council and previous letters he had written to the pastor of St Paul's earlier in the month The letter ended with a reference to ”past misfortunes, especially in the fall season” In contrast to his letter to Martha fron of illness but rather as the results of machinations by the Ecumenical Council By January, his letters to Martha and Charlie had beco from Albanians to Stalin to ”secrets can't reveal” and ”wood and nails of the true cross” Nash apparently walked past St Paul's every day The letter referred to the Ecumenical Council and previous letters he had written to the pastor of St Paul's earlier in the month The letter ended with a reference to ”past misfortunes, especially in the fall season” In contrast to his letter to Martha fron of illness but rather as the results of machinations by the Ecumenical Council By January, his letters to Martha and Charlie had beco from Albanians to Stalin to ”secrets can't reveal” and ”wood and nails of the true cross”51 Exhausted and dispirited by three years of turmoil and convinced that Nash's condition was more or less hopeless, Alicia consulted an attorney and instituted divorce proceedings She had ht could look after her but couldn't, who resented her bitterly, and who accused her of having inia she wrote that beingto create Nash's problee would be better for hienial Princeton divorce laith an office on Nassau Street, filed for a divorce the day after Christo-ahead in a deposition a week earlier According to the petition, Nash was still living with her at 137 Spruce Street Alicia, meanwhile, temporarily rented a separate aparto-ahead in a deposition a week earlier According to the petition, Nash was still living with her at 137 Spruce Street Alicia, meanwhile, temporarily rented a separate apartment on Vandeventer Street54 Alicia's formal complaint read: On or about March 1959 it was necessary for the Plaintiff herein to cause the defendant to be committed to a mental institution from which the defendant was released on or about June 1959 Despite the fact that said committal was in the best interest of the defendant, the defendant beca his coer live with the Plaintiff as ain live with the plaintiff as her husband, the defendant did in fact move into a separate room and refused to have marital relations with the plaintiff In January 1961 defendant was caused to be committed to Trenton State Hospital by his mother from which he was released in June 1961 The defendant's resenter have marital relations continued after his release from the aforementioned commitainst the wishes of the plaintiff to the present date The ti which defendant has thus deserted plaintiff and during which defendant was not confined to any institution but fully able to voluntarily resume marital relations, which he has not done, exceeds two years past and such desertion has been wilful, continuous and obstinate Moreover defendant has failed to properly support plaintiff55

Nash was served with a su day On April 17, Scott once again talked to Nash, who, he said, had ”no plans for changing either his residence or his occupational status” The judg a divorce and awarding Alicia custody of John Charles on May 1, 1963”56 Final judgust 2, 196357 There is no evidence that Nash was opposed to the divorce While the petition was a lawyer's document and not necessarily true in its particulars - the Danskins, for exa together - Nash's animosity toward Alicia was no doubt very real He bla his hospitalizations, he had threatened to divorce her while at McLean, and probably afterward as well, and he had made plans to live in France without her

Nash's increasingly disturbed state, and ru divorce, prompted a nu That Nash desperately needed treatain, Donald Spencer and Albert Tucker approached Robert Winters58 James Miller, a friend of Winters from Harvard, was in the psychiatry departan and was connected with a university-sponsored clinic run by Ray Waggoner James Miller, a friend of Winters from Harvard, was in the psychiatry departan and was connected with a university-sponsored clinic run by Ray Waggoner59 Through Miller, Winters succeeded in ement whereby Nash would be treated at the clinic and also have an opportunity to work as a statistician in the clinic's research prograement whereby Nash would be treated at the clinic and also have an opportunity to work as a statistician in the clinic's research program

Tucker at Princeton and Martin at MIT decided to set up a fund to an plan feasible60 Anatole Rappaport and Merrill Flood at the University of Michigan, Jurgen Moser at NYU, Alexander Ostrowski of Westinghouse, and others co mathematicians on Nash's behalf Anatole Rappaport and Merrill Flood at the University of Michigan, Jurgen Moser at NYU, Alexander Ostrowski of Westinghouse, and others co roup felt that a stay of two years was necessary The cost for out-of-state patients was 9,000 a year or 18,000 for the entire stay Virginia Nash offered to guarantee 10,000 and the group of h the A drive for the re 8,000 ”If we are successful probably most of it will have to come from mathe can be done which will enable Nash to return to mathematics, even on a very limited scale, it would of course be very fine not only for him but also for mathematics”62 Albert E Meder, Jr, the society's treasurer, was enthusiastic about the proposal, saying that ”it would seeether appropriate for the AMS to receive contributions for the purposes set forth in [Martin's] letter of March 25I would be inclined to go ahead”63 Nash's increasingly bizarre behavior was triggering co some at the Institute for Advanced Study Mostly these had to do with Nash's writingannoying telephone calls to various members But one day the switchboard operators, who sat in an office immediately as one entered Fuld Hall, were all abuzz because each person as co doused ater The institute's dining hall was then on the fourth floor of Fuld, and it turned out, upon investigation, that Nash had been pouring water from theabove the main door sat in an office immediately as one entered Fuld Hall, were all abuzz because each person as co doused ater The institute's dining hall was then on the fourth floor of Fuld, and it turned out, upon investigation, that Nash had been pouring water from theabove the main door64 It was Donald Spencer, a man who could not stand to see anyone in trouble without intervening, as elected to try to convince Nash to accept the Michigan offer and enter the clinic voluntarily65 Spencer chose, as he usually did, a bar as his venue He invited Nash for some beers in Nassau Tavern, where Nash had once celebrated passing his generals They sat in the booth for hours, Spencer downing warle beer Spencer talked and talked; Nash appeared to be listening but said very little except to re statistical work It was no use Nash didn't believe that he was ill, and he wasn't prepared to enter another hospital Spencer chose, as he usually did, a bar as his venue He invited Nash for some beers in Nassau Tavern, where Nash had once celebrated passing his generals They sat in the booth for hours, Spencer downing warle beer Spencer talked and talked; Nash appeared to be listening but said very little except to re statistical work It was no use Nash didn't believe that he was ill, and he wasn't prepared to enter another hospital

Years later, Winters hen he recounted the story: I thought I had worked out a perfect solution to a ht I could save a very hile person I' so really wonderful Jim Miller told me never nev