Summery and Reaction

I read an article about the Nobel Prize. James Watson who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for a discovery of the structure of DNA sold the Nobel medal for $4.8m. It was the first case that a living winner sold the medal and its proceeds will be used for a donation for supporting scientific research. This selling would be triggered by his remarks which discriminate black people. He had been rid from scientific community and he became poor because he lost a job of some lectures. But according to some other reports, the motive of the selling was only to donate money for charities and scientific research as stated above. We can’t identify the real reason of selling.

Mr. Watson said it was free to decide how to deal with the medal. However, I think the medal is a proof of the award so it is a treasure which should be taken over for his descendants. So I don’t agree with the selling basically. In my opinion, an evaluation for Mr. Watson’s behavior depends on his motive to sell. If he purely wanted to donate money for science, I can sympathize with him because it is exactly a contribution for the society and it is a behavior like a scholar. On the other hand, poverty was not an appropriate reason because there would be other things to sell for money even he was poor. Possibly, he tried to let people recall his fame through a topic about the Nobel Prize. And perhaps he might want to express anger toward the scientific community.

In the end, the medal was knocked down to a Russian rich person, Alisher Usmanov. He said the medal should be kept by the winner and he returned it. In fact, he disagreed with the selling and he bought it to return to Mr. Watson. So practically, Mr. Usmanov contributed $4.8m to Mr. Watson. I think his behavior was a consensus of all people so he must be admired as an exactly donator.