Congratulations, Dr. Mäkelä:
Well-earned recognition! After reading Newton's Principia, I a) was glad I never had to face his Genius (I always imagined Newton could make you cry with his towering intellect) b) was glad I was never his enemy (he could hold a grudge for years and had the power and resolve to really ruin your day or career), and c) was glad I didn't have to admit I could only completely understand about 90% of it (see a and b).
After reading your essay & thread, I've warmed a little to Dr. Newton and see him in another historical perspective. Think I would have the courage to speak to him now, if given the chance. Again, pleasurable essay.
As I'm still working the day-job, it help s to have a list of contest winners to guide me in my readings (time certainly didnn't allow this Author to properly peruse all the essays). Next: second place essays. Can't wait and will comment on those \Authors threads in due course. Hope somebody still read s these!
P.S. The fact that fqxi chose not to select Non-Professional REcognition is encouraging (they said the winners represented the Goals of the Contest suitably). I have another take on this: there were at least ;4 or us that had a chance (to name a few G. Parry, R. Jergenson, U. Matfolk) and the Quality to get the prize. How do you choose only two, right?
That's the way it appears to me, and I can't wait for the next Contest! Thanks fqxi, for spurring my thinking into ordered and scientific research paths. It has changed my life. I approach everything with this new excellence of thought and Method. Please see my site: QuantumWidgets.com and Quantum FAcebook and Threads if you find the extra time. These were all created in the course of writing my Entry and Threads and are real-world solutions of the generalization derived in my Essay. And are a continuation of said essay in the form of Art, Philosophy, and emergent Properties... next contest: the other half of the Theory of EVerything to be equated to the first half already derived! Joy!