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To: donh
Much of "pure" mathematics has not been assailed by formal systems of proof, and some never can be, provably.

I think you don't understand what mathematics is, let alone pure mathematics. Mathematics is proof. If there's no proof, than it's something other than mathematics.

329 posted on 05/10/2005 11:29:21 AM PDT by AmishDude (Join the AmishDude fan club: "Very well put, AD. As usual." -- Howlin; "ROFL!" -- Dan from Michigan)
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To: AmishDude
I think you don't understand what mathematics is, let alone pure mathematics. Mathematics is proof. If there's no proof, than it's something other than mathematics.

See Russell's theory of types for various failures of closure of discrete formal systems, Then see Godel's proof in response to Russell, for starters. See also the proof of the four-color theorem that was wrong, but held up for several hundred years. See the developments of Aristotalian syllogistic forms that were wrong, but were accepted for 1000 years. See also the proof in Principia Mathematica that was wrong, but wasn't noticed for 60 years. Then you can explain whether or not a proof generated by a computer, which no human has been able to verify, is a proof, or not.

Your statement is vastly incorrect. There is way more math, pure or otherwise, than there is proof. And a proof exists that this discrepency cannot be cured.

367 posted on 05/10/2005 12:18:38 PM PDT by donh
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