John F. Nash Jr.

John Forbes Nash Jr. (June 13, 1928 – May 23, 2015) was an American mathematician and Nobel laureate in economics. He is best known for his work in game theory, for which he received the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 1994. Nash's work has had a profound impact on economics, political science, and computer science.

Nash was born in Bluefield, West Virginia, to John Forbes Nash Sr. and Virginia Martin Nash. He attended Carnegie Mellon University, where he studied mathematics and physics. In 1948, he received a doctorate in mathematics from Princeton University.

After graduating from Princeton, Nash worked as a research mathematician at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In 1950, he published his seminal paper, "Equilibrium Points in N-Person Games." In this paper, Nash introduced the concept of Nash equilibrium, which is a solution to a game in which no player can benefit by unilaterally changing their strategy.

Nash's work on game theory had a profound impact on economics. It led to the development of new models of economic behavior, and it helped to explain a wide range of economic phenomena, such as the prisoner's dilemma and the tragedy of the commons.

In 1954, Nash was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. He spent the next several years in and out of mental hospitals. In 1994, he received the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for his work on game theory.

Nash's life story was the subject of the 2001 biographical film, A Beautiful Mind. The film won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

Nash died of complications from pneumonia on May 23, 2015, at the age of 86. He is survived by his wife, Alicia Larde Nash, and their three children.

John Nash was a brilliant mathematician whose work had a profound impact on economics, political science, and computer science. He was also a courageous and inspiring figure who overcame mental illness to achieve great success.