Nobel Prize Hypocrisy

The haters of Israel neither sleep nor slumber.

The latest target of their anti-Semitic (and anti-American) vile was Professor Robert Aumann, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics for his mathematical research into game theory, together with American Thomas Schelling.

A petition was sent to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, protesting the decision to award Aumann (and Schelling) with the Nobel Prize. Among the reasons for the opposition (click here for the full text of the petition):

The Academy's reasoning that these persons have "enhanced our understanding of conflict and cooperation through game-theory analysis" is monstrous. In fact, the Academy has awarded the prize to two warmongers.

Schelling's theory encourages the coercive use of military force, used to induce desired behavior in an adversary, rather than simply to destroy the enemy's military capacity... Aumann uses his analysis to justify the Israeli Occupation and the oppression of the Palestinians. Neither of these individuals has contributed anything that improves the human condition; rather, they have contributed to the misery of millions. Aumann characterizes the recent evacuation of Israeli settlers from Gaza Strip as "expulsion" and Ariel Sharon's policies as influenced by a dangerous rush to achieve peace.

Aumann is a veteran member of the far-right think tank, Professors for a Strong Israel, the first principle of which is:

The Land of Israel is the Homeland of the Jewish People: Judea, Samaria, Gaza, and the Golan Heights are integral parts of the Land of Israel. Every Jew has an inherent right to live in security and under Israeli sovereignty in any part of this Land. We are categorically opposed to yielding control of any part of the Land of Israel to any foreign entity.

In supporting this, Aumann advocates violating international law and disregarding overwhelming international consensus. According to Aumann's game-theory, the longer Israel waits, the more concessions the Palestinians will be forced to make. In other words, Israel should forestall any political negotiation that might lead to a just peace.

Putting aside the anti-Semitic diatribe of this petition, signed primarily by Arabs / Muslims and (self-hating) Jews, the basis for the call to rescind the Nobel Prize from Aumann and Schelling is due to their game theory analysis that has been used, in the opinion of the signatories, to perpetuate war and conflict throughout the world and as such, Aumann and Schelling are to be considered warmongers.

As such, it is quite ironic that the Nobel Prize is named after Alfred Nobel, who is noted for having invented dynamite and ballistite (a smokeless gunpowder) that was the predecessor to cordite - a powerful explosive substance.

True, Nobel created the Nobel Prize so that his sole legacy would not be only for the aforementioned inventions. The Nobel Prize was to be awarded to those who "have done outstanding research, invented groundbreaking techniques or equipment, or made outstanding contributions to society".

Like all things in life, inventions such as Nobel's (and Aumann's and Schelling's) can be used for good or for evil. The challenge that we are faced with today is to choose life, and to use our unique abilities towards the greater good.

One can only imagine, if the drafters of the petition to rescind the Nobel Prize from Aumann and Schelling would be aware of who exactly Alfred Nobel was, and what exactly his contributions to society were, that they would quite likely be drafting a new petition to boycott the Nobel Prize altogether, as it glorifies the life's work of such a warmonger.

Aumann and Schelling should be proud to be associated with such a man.

(Hat Tip: My neighbor, Mike)

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