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Full Idea
For intuitionists, proof is inherently informal.
Gist of Idea
For intuitionists, proof is inherently informal
Source
Stewart Shapiro (Philosophy of Mathematics [1997], 6.7)
Book Ref
Shapiro,Stewart: 'Philosophy of Mathematics:structure and ontology' [OUP 1997], p.205
A Reaction
This thought is quite appealing, so I may have to take intuitionism more seriously. It connects with my view of coherence, which I take to be a notion far too complex for precise definition. However, we don't want 'proof' to just mean 'persuasive'.
| 17967 | To decide some questions, we must study the essence of mathematical proof itself [Hilbert] |
| 17627 | It seems absurd to prove 2+2=4, where the conclusion is more certain than premises [Russell] |
| 10256 | For intuitionists, proof is inherently informal [Shapiro] |
| 9646 | There is no limit to how many ways something can be proved in mathematics [Brown,JR] |
| 9647 | Computers played an essential role in proving the four-colour theorem of maps [Brown,JR] |
| 10692 | Hilbert proofs have simple rules and complex axioms, and natural deduction is the opposite [Beall/Restall] |
| 10885 | Computer proofs don't provide explanations [Horsten] |