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Originally Posted by jhwegener
The 6 current categories seems not to be the right ones for greatest honour in contemporary world. Is better physicists, chemists or economists what we need most? And what about the winners of the peace prize, did they deserve it?
Are authors that important today, compared to many other artists?
One example of a "missing prize" (it may exist, but rather unknown) - this prize should clearly be the most prestigeous: An environment award.
Instead of "advanced" medicine the prize may better go to "health" in a broader sense. The prize in economy (as far as I not really not created by Nobel, but swedish bank)should instead go to research in "human needs" (what we need to live a "good life") - if such a category could be properly defined - perhaps it should just be remkoved?
And one can ask if physics or chemistry is more important or honourable than many other academic disciplines.
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Well, it was Nobel's will that established the prizes (aside from economics) so he got to choose the categories. And there is considerable flexibility in the criteria. For instance, I think if you go back and look over the awardees in medicine you'll find that they have contributed to "health in the broader sense." As for physics & chemistry, while the topics of the prizes can seem remote (such as this year's for symmetry breaking in physics) others, such as Bardeen, Brattain, & Shockley's (for inventing the transistor) have had immense impact on our lives.
No, the Nobel's aren't perfect and yes, they don't cover everything, but they are still a recognition of major and significant work in some of the scientific disciplines that impact our lives the most.
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"If it was so, it might be, and if it were so, it would be, but as it isn't, it ain't. That's logic!" - Tweedledee
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