Astrophysicist Stephen Hawking is an expert on many esoteric scientific subjects, such as black holes, relativity and quantum mechanics. And when sharing his thoughts on presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump, Hawking used a math term to deride the “demagogue” and his supporters.
Appearing Monday on British TV network ITV, Hawking said Trump “is a demagogue who seems to appeal to the lowest common denominator.” While in math, “lowest common denominator” is the smallest multiple by which a set of fractions can be divided, colloquially the phrase mocks the intelligence of the group described.
Hawking joins other public figures this year warning against “demagogues” in the 2016 election, including billionaire and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney.
Hawking also urged his fellow Britons to vote against a “Brexit” from the European Union in the June 23 referendum, which he warned could hurt the British scientific community, security and economy.
“Gone are the days we could stand on our own against the world. We need to be part of a larger group of nations, both for our security and our trade,” he said.
