James Simons (full length interview) - Numberphile

Shorter version: • Billionaire Mathematic...
More about The Simons Foundation: bit.ly/SimonsFoundation
James Harris Simons has been described as "the world's smartest billionaire", amassing a fortune through the clever use of mathematics and computers. He is now a renowned philanthropist.
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[@kingsimoniv240]

R.I.P James Simons 🎉🎉🎉 Gone but Never Forgotten. Thanks for the inspiration 🙏🏿

[@MauricioHT]

"My algorithm has always been: You put smart people together, you give them a lot of freedom, create an atmosphere where everyone talks to everyone else. They're not hiding in the corner with their own little thing. They talk to everybody else. And you provide the best infrastructure. The best computers and so on that people can work with and make everyone partners." How was this missing in the short version?!

[@pretoriano.]

Xerox palo alto 80s

[@ek9772]

MauricioHT what a great business philosophy from someone that hates business.

[@linkinlinkinlinkin654]

@@ek9772 he doesnt hate business, he hates the 'conventional constructs' that have become norm in business schools and wall street. propagation of a culture without reason. rentec actually does hire people with business acumen, but stays away from people who have wall street experience and such, as they come with that conventional baggage

[@folfol3008]

This sounds like MIT.

[@Adix90]

so basically reddit

[@MitzvosGolem1]

Donated tens of millions to Stony Brook hospital NY. Saved my life

[@davidschmidt5507]

ברוך ה

[@MitzvosGolem1]

@@davidschmidt5507 B"H

[@thecryptoguy3845]

Bless u

[@MitzvosGolem1]

@@thecryptoguy3845 תודה רבה שלום

[@MrAlaister]

"Well this was kinda fun" - Jim simons Highlight of the interview ;)

[@FrancisBehnen]

+Alberto Alvarez heard that too xD funny guy

[@strewf]

+Alberto Alvarez "They were big shots, and I was just a little shot."

[@PianoWallaby]

Full-length interviews with dozens and dozens of mathematicians about their motivations and careers would be a wonderful thing.

[@sebster100]

PianoWallaby There is another wonderful one with Yitang Zhang one KZbin, done by another mathematician. Actually, it features a significant role of Chern as well!

[@CavllNorthNorth]

Yeah that would be great mates..

[@MrMineHeads.]

Look up the Numberphile podcast

[@PianoWallaby]

@@MrMineHeads. Thanks for the tip! Yes, I am an interested listener of the Numberphile podcast.

[@zacharycat603]

Do people watch because he is great at math or because he is one of the most successful market traders?

[@user-sr8jn1fd2s]

James will be remembered. RIP.

[@subodhbadgujar51]

RIP, the greatest practical mathematician ever.....

[@tatianatub]

everytime i see a unlisted video i feel like i'm in some super secret club

[@adityakhanna113]

Shhh...!!

[@Machiones]

ashley beaumont Welcome to the tabernacle.

[@rchandraonline]

ashley beaumont , so you're a Stone Cutter too?

[@Machiones]

Yes sir, I am so taken and accepted...

[@adityakhanna113]

Seth Glover Well... It's /R... Chandra ... Online No Richard Or Caroline there...

[@CaptainGuntu]

When you get someone of Simons' caliber saying that you're asking good questions, then you're probably doing a good job with the interview.

[@djl.0473]

Rest in peace Jim

[@financeexplainedgraphics]

I come back to this interview from time to time. Now that he's gone, somehow, in some strange way, the world seems a little less magical.

[@subasurf]

I appreciate the fact that he appreciates the role "luck" had to play in his success. It's always a refreshing sign of humbleness.

[@hebre7828]

& he re affirmed in closing ironically, 7 next question

[@tippitytop]

@ Ravi bhai 🔥

[@nonefvnfvnjnjnjevjenjvonej3384]

usually really smart people are always humble... its the people trying to appear smart *cough* jordan peterson *cough* who have huge egos

[@N0N5T0P]

@@nonefvnfvnjnjnjevjenjvonej3384 Interesting turn of conversation. It's almost as if you have a huge chip on your shoulder, for whatever reason.

[@lamix34]

@@nonefvnfvnjnjnjevjenjvonej3384 I came here to say this. The smartest people I've met have never bragged about their intelligence or success

[@goyabee3200]

Brady is a great interviewer. Excellence as usual, Brady.

[@wertytrewqa]

Except the one part where he asked him if he aspired to become a baseball when he grew up

[@theangrymathematician9121]

+wertytrewqa I would love to become a baseball

[@jdp0359]

I agree that the interviewer was excellent and allowed Mr. Simmons to answer the questions unlike so many interviewers who interrupt. The questions were great and he was obviously well prepared.

[@danielfransix]

I think he was horrible in some parts

[@sirfer6969]

I lost count of how many times Mr Simons said "that's an interesting/good question"...to me thats the sign of a great interviewer....thanks for the great video, i could listen to these two talk all day.

[@Dave-lr2wo]

sirfer6969 it's also a significant of a brilliant, curious thinker.

[@sirfer6969]

Yes, that too :o)

[@ppumpkin3282]

He is being nice. Interviewer doesn’t really show much insight.

[@jeremycarroll451]

@@ppumpkin3282 He's allowing the interviewee to take centre stage. It's not about the interviewer!

[@steeezyb]

When did he ever say this?

[@gumenski]

This is a killer interview. The kind that will be resurrected and shown over and over again later on in history. It's crazy you got him to do it and even more amazing that he seemed to actually be glad to do it for once.

[@rbauer961]

Probably a secret fan of numberphile...

[@redhammer9273]

He will be missed, RIP 🤲🏻

[@Sluggernaut]

He mentions MIT not wanting to get rid of him as much as wanting him to experience other places. Richard Feynman described a similar situation where he was told MIT wouldn't allow him to return for his masters (iirc) due to wanting him to experience the world of higher education. Very interesting. I wonder if this sort of policy still holds.

[@Sluggernaut]

Neat

[@DjordjeNedic]

Yes. A great academic i know was told "we taught you everything we could here, you should go on" at such a point.

[@ppumpkin3282]

Yes. MIT does not want a faculty full of people educated at MIT. They want to network out.

[@Marc_Masters]

@@ppumpkin3282 did you go to MIT?

[@davidbellamy1388]

MIT actually has a university wide policy that doesn’t allow undergrads to stay for graduate studies there. It wasn’t unique to his experience. It’s actually more the opposite, that an undergrad is allowed to stay when their current work is going so well that the faculty don’t want to interrupt it for any reason.

[@Gaboch8719]

Great interview! The interviewer nodded as if he had understood those profound mathematics concepts! 🤣🤣

[@jessesinger923]

The question about whether or not he's holding back some groundbreaking mathematics work was a great question!

[@westganton]

The full length interview was worth every second. Great questions, excellent conversation. Mr. Simons is a very well-spoken and intelligent man and I consider him a role model despite only discovering this interview an hour ago.

[@user-or7ji5hv8y]

It’s really nice to hear such honesty and humility in contrast to so much bluster you get in finance. I have more respect for Simons than Dimon.

[@chaoshi2395]

"Would you trade part or all of your business for being the man who crack the Riemann Hypothesis?"-----Really good question, man! Well done!!

[@olenaerhardt7725]

Rhetorical question.

[@KKlawm]

'Simons shuns the limelight and rarely gives interviews' congratulations on the interview, compelling stuff!

[@TheJACKAROO123]

Fantastic interviewing skills, questions were great great and you let Jim answer before asking the next one, kudos to you!

[@alexanderelsen9397]

This guy seems like a really awesome person. I watched all of the interview, which is surprising since I normally get bored of watching interviews and such from "Business-like" people in the first 10 seconds. I think it's because he's talking understandable English and knows what he's on about. (Unlike other business people who talk a bunch of stuff which is either obvious/something they don't really understand and then just repeat what they say in different ways over the course of the interview.)

[@aleksandarmilic4424]

What a lovely interview Brady! Great questions those were.

[@jeremycarroll451]

A superb interview. Brady allows the subject to answer the questions in as much detail as is needed, without interrupting. Nicely done.

[@Greasyhair]

R.I.P Sir. If ramanujan was the man who knew infinity then James Simons was the man who knew the markets like none other.

[@johnchapman2856]

I have got to say, the style of your videos is overall on point. The atmosphere is just right every time. I also have to love the begrudged "ehh well this was kinda fun". He enjoyed the heck out of that, just is so stoic about everything :)

[@justinserra3246]

thank you Simon and you Brady, this was wonderful!

[@bennettbullock9690]

This has to be the best summary of differential geometry ever. I idolize this guy. He's clearly brilliant, but he also had an incredible degree of perseverance to make quant trading work.

[@Rattiar]

Great interview - thanks, Brady, for putting up the whole thing. I love that his philanthropy is for basic science. That's awesome.

[@penc5use3]

First timer at Numberphile... Really impressed with the quality of questions you've had for the guy. Thank you!

[@princeamori]

Love how this interview was done and the humility of the one being interviewed.

[@zsmb13]

One hour of this wasn't even enough for me. Excellent content, Brady. Thank you.

[@cletus2941]

This is the real life ending to Good Will Hunting :)

[@TheUndergroundVault]

This is beautiful. Thank you so much for this interview. Hope to see more on the channel such as this. Great score as well, I'm sure it wasn't easy to gather his time for an hour.

[@bazsnell3178]

Thanks Brady. In all of your interviews on Numberphile, Sixty Symbols, et al, 99% of questions are just exactly what I (we) would like to have asked.

[@dandare1001]

A really good interview. What an interesting person he is, and he seems to be a good person, as well. The world needs more people like that. Thanks for the film.

[@fluideight]

Really enjoyed this interview. Thank you!

[@RochesterOliveira]

Such a wise guy! And great job there Brady, Numberphile is getting better and better!

[@RochesterOliveira]

you wanna know my name? with such a perfect reasoning it's hard to disagree. You really are a smart guy. Or how the internets says "HATERS GONNA HATE"

[@Angeal0506]

Rochester Oliveira man you may play smart right now but think about it this way : could you live with all those money knowing that there are people who don't even have a house and not even the basics to live a proper life ? I wouldn't want a life like this...

[@Angeal0506]

Yeah I see just nvm

[@RochesterOliveira]

you wanna know my name? just one more thing, it's not about his money at all. For example, when brady asks why do he thinks he's so successful he says "I've got lucky", and that is pretty much true. A lot of people deserve more than you and I have but yet they don't have anything. Sure, he was prepared but also he got a lot of opportunities in life, and can you blame him for that?

[@Angeal0506]

Rochester Oliveira pff typical brainwashed human being. .. just take a minute and read again what you said alright?

[@annon123]

"We underestimate the role of luck"

[@kevinparsley6806]

nearly everyone successful underestimates the role of luck and that luck was part of why someone or something was there to teach them what led to success. ask most of them and they will say they did it all by themselves and hold everyone unsuccessful accountable for not doing what they have done.

[@rayballinger1848]

What he didn't' add to the luck idea is THE HARDER YOU WORK THE LUCKER YOU GET.

[@ethicalrevolution3294]

@@asdrt6405 A lot of people think their success was luck, but it's not necessarily true. People who drive themselves to succeed will do it time after time. Thinking it is all just luck is an easy out for those who don't commit themselves, and a self-deprecating belief for those who do. I'm not successful, in a sense, because I never devoted every waking moment to achieving that goal. Some people do.

[@jlons5586]

Luck is not real..

[@ethicalrevolution3294]

@@jlons5586 Luck is a word that can mean something like random chance. Like someone winning the lottery might be considered lucky. Some people who are successful due to starting a business at the right time in history could be considered lucky, or maybe they identified an opportunity, a gap in the market, and seized it at the right time, with the right kind of vision and competency to achieve it. There can be an element of luck, or chance, in anything, but with the correct mindset you can make your own luck.

[@manishprasad1298]

This interview is absolutely fantastic. Thank you Brady

[@znull3356]

Something I only learned today, the Simons Foundation is responsible for one of my favorite publications, Quanta. Thanks Jim, you did the world a huge service there.

[@tessiermaurice]

This is one of the best business interviews I have ever watched! Simons is extremely knowledgeable, so wealthy and still extremely humble about his success: - He has made billions, yet understands oh so well the importance of dealing with luck rather than focus on ego and politics - He is so respectful of the work and effort pit in by his fellow employees, even though he is the man at the basis of it all - His approach of management by giving freedom to his peebs, have the best infrastructure and be as transparent as possible WOW If only managers or startup founders were at least 1% as well taught and respectful as Simons. Wonderful interview Brady. Thanks so much! ♥️

[@anthonym.8926]

Really insightful. You have improved my life with this. Thank you.

[@ozzy1873]

Great interview! Thoroughly enjoyed this

[@williamalubokhoashioya8410]

Rest In Peace legend!!

[@guillaume6373]

Loved this. Great questions and insightful comments by James

[@cosmicallyderived]

Fantastic interview, looking for more to come.

[@KristoferJarl]

Nice interview. Glad to see Simons in a (good) lengthy interview, and one where he gives thorough answers to all questions. (Well, most of them... :)

[@jimmyfly4383]

came back to this interview i watched two years ago but i still vividly remembered what he had said at 39:18. it was so real and humble.

[@icarus113]

I still thinks his specialty is not just in math, but the art of making partners with people. Wish to listen more of this art from him.

[@finbat]

Really excellent interview. Nice mix of questions with some very inciteful answers.

[@SirGromit]

Great interview, Bradey! Good questions, both on the mathematical as well as the personal side. Incredibly informative and a peak into the mind of one of the greatest entrepreneurs and mathematicians of our time. And Mr. Simons seamed to enjoy it as well ;)

[@jsnadrian]

This is incredible. I hope he appreciated how much you've done for math, Brady. A lot of us have been inspired by your videos, this one included!

[@louislouis7258]

Excellent reporter love the fact he didn't gravitate the interview toward his person. I lift you my hat !!

[@pahakuutti]

Hah I "know" this guy. Played poker with him in Vegas some years ago during the wsop. Afterwards someone said there was a billionaire at the table. If i had to guess would have chosen him to be the billionaire second to last, just before the dealer. That is to say, no bling or ego was shown that day. Where I come from, that is almost as honorable than all of his amazing accomplishments.

[@himmat7399]

How'd he do?

[@uncleswell]

If anyone ever comes across a video of Jim Simmons playing poker, pleaseeee link it to me! Would love to watch that.

[@ummareli2791]

sure it wasnt mercer?

[@ahaha8]

I am quite sure it was Andy Beal - he was into Poker a lot.

[@h.anthonymontgomeryii9898]

Bro, amazing interview. Thank you.

[@apaeterable]

Argl - when I saw the link to the full interview at the end of the short one I was kinda annoyed and thinking "you guys should have put the link at the beginning of the short version" ... then I checked and it turned out you did. I just ignored it, probably also being annoyed "what's with all these damned annotations?!" :) Turns out I may be an asshole. Anyway, thanks for these videos, very interesting.

[@Maxander2001]

apaeterable Great post! :) I also am an asshole, at times.

[@naota3k]

Maxander2001 I think everyone is lol. Especially on the inter-webs.

[@Maxander2001]

naota3k I tend to be honest in real life, as well. Horrible trait.

[@kevinfairweather3661]

apaeterable Same here, i would of rather watched this one first !

[@nb8947]

apaeterable Admirable introspection.

[@kipferlkipferl]

That was a fantastic interview! Thank you Brady! Well done! :)

[@koenvanzon8314]

Great job Brady. I'm studying econometrics (a combination between mathematics and economics) which is very closely related to this subject. It's very interesting to hear he contributed to the things I now study.

[@orgminyak]

Great interview. It has helped me more than you'd Braddy. Thank you very much!

[@kabochaVA]

R.I.P. Jim Simons.

[@marcschoderboeck2963]

This was a very, very cool interview. Will we be seeing more like this?

[@MattStum]

Well done, Brady. Great interview, and fascinating subject. Really wish Feynman were still around to get the Brady touch...

[@lesliemaltin2140]

Enjoyed your style of interview....very well thought out questions a great interview of a giant of a man!

[@MazeFrame]

Why watch 18 Minutes and ask yourself what you missed when you can have this?

[@shawniscoolerthanyou]

MatzeGamer Yeah, I saw in the first 2 minutes of the short one that I was going to want to see more and went right to this one.

[@LECityLECLEC]

:D well put!

[@simonstrandgaard5503]

Great interview.

[@doellison]

There are a lot of interviews and videos on this man, and this, in my opinion, is the best take.

[@Darkiekurdo]

Amazing! Thanks for doing this.

[@coffeeandproofs]

I'll be attending Stony Brook University majoring in Mathematics this August! I absolutely can't wait to get to meet him in person. :)

[@seekbulls3864]

Do you work at Renaissance at the moment?

[@RAJSINGH-of9iy]

Don't make me jealous.

[@jeffreybrauchler1291]

Extremely humble man. Mr. Simons doesn't take himself too seriously.............Gotta love that !!

[@NVSTx]

This man is brilliant, the knowledge that is needed to even understand what he says is insane, we’ve tried to break it down in our video, hopefully it will give you a better view of how you can learn and do exactly like Jim

[@BrijeshJanardhanan]

Talks on investments starts @ 25:00

[@eragonrules1234]

How did you manage to get an audience with Simons???? Amazing man.

[@atillayurtseven4125]

R.I.P The Quant King

[@satoshinakamoto5710]

Interested about that research that got nowhere. It's one of my biggest fears. Spending all those years and effort and realizing that it was all for nothing.

[@RochesterOliveira]

***** that's a risk in pretty much anything we do. Life itself is a risky business overall, we just pretend it isn't (I mean, at any time a disaster could happen and we all could die, or worse, we could lose our internet connection). But it would be worse doing nothing at all just because of that fear and after 50 years you find yourself wondering if that path would lead somewhere

[@johnstrand7856]

Are you THE Satashi Nakamoto? If so you're about as rich as Simons.

[@voice_from_pizza]

Excellent interview, it's amazing to get to peak into Simons' mind for a bit, and his views on the American education system are spot on, in my opinion.

[@MazeFrame]

Andrew S Fits for the German "system" aswell. :(

[@firstnamelastname-oy7es]

+MatzeGamer Religious education is part of the curriculum here in the UK still. The worst part is it's all garbage, and not true to the real history of the western worlds evolution. We have many faith schools, and for some kids its the only real choice in their area.

[@kevinhay356]

I enjoy listening to intelligent people who can test and apply solutions. Thank you!

[@bananaoverlord]

57:11 Omg, he gave a shout out to Indian Institute Of Technology (IIT) Never expected to find it here.

[@uzwlsolanki2189]

HE is right as always

[@OS-yg9fr]

calm down

[@arpitnigam668]

Glad to hear that that brain drain has stopped and the top guns are staying back to work for the betterment of the country.

[@alexismina3097]

Very good interview Excelente entrevista

[@Kurisuto321]

Great interviewer, great interviewee. In short, great video!

[@westhgate]

Sympathetic and humble - the traits of true greatness - fantastic interview

[@dfolegna]

This interview explains how great this man his: intelligent, with right humour and humble because he knows his value. Every second is useful to understand with details and honesty, what he did. I'm sure he will be remembered as one of the greatest mind of our time.

[@fabiobonetta5454]

This is priceless. Thank you

[@hocineislamguia8432]

This interview is really a gem , i really like it !

[@zhengxijiang4087]

in this interview James Simons was very frank, and most of the information about his success is clearly told here.

[@PeterHarket]

Great questions, great answers!

[@RandyTasajaya]

Really worth to watch ☺. Good watching material while eating. Braddy, well done 👏

[@sebastianmachadomalbran182]

Best part +41:50: "Would you trade some or all of your business success for being the man who proved the Riemann Hypothesis or something?". I guess he would've wanted more time to think the answer but he was brave to say what he thought right there.

[@lennutrajektoor]

Brady, definitely highlight of your journalism career! Not just Numberphile but overall. I bet high profile media channels envy you.

[@jahstix]

This was wonderful 👏 thanks for this

[@mzaproduction]

Lovely interview thanks...

[@pairadeau]

Absolutely fascinating content. Blessings.

[@reaper-gj9gd]

RIP jim you’re an inspiration to many

[@MrAlRats]

47:17 I like the way his wording here makes it seem like this interview is the pinnacle point in the entire history of life on Earth.

[@naiqiangqian4080]

Great questions to a great guy

[@wyvernlord23]

Good timing Brady.Right on the hour.

[@sternamc919sterna3]

Great interview. Hearing his life story was also kind of fun.