Tuesday, January 22, 2002
JSH: What, expect mathematics from mathematicians?
Some of you may have labored under the illusion that on a math newsgroup mathematicians could actually use math when discussing a mathematical work that has been declared to be an elementary proof of Fermat's Last Theorem.
Yet, if you look over posts in just the last 24 hours you'll notice something interesting, one guy actually posted some math attempting to shoot down the proof, I answered him, but no one else replied with mathematics. Instead you see attempts at wordplay and insults.
It should tell you something. If these people had a mathematical basis for their positions they'd have given it. I mean, why not? After all, a two page proof using high school algebra should give endless opportunity—if an error exists.
Just remember what I said about skilled mathematicians. The truly skilled could hardly be expected to miss an approach that successfully solves the most famous problem in their field.
Before now, mathematicians have lived in a world where they could follow human rules and get status when they might have just known how to please some professors. I'm giving a definitive test from the heart of mathematics itself and no mathematician can hide because it's the most famous math problem in the world using secondary school mathematics.
EVERY mathematician is testable with it—"pure" or "applied".
So, if you've always wanted to know how smart that mathematician you know really is, now's your chance to find out.
Yet, if you look over posts in just the last 24 hours you'll notice something interesting, one guy actually posted some math attempting to shoot down the proof, I answered him, but no one else replied with mathematics. Instead you see attempts at wordplay and insults.
It should tell you something. If these people had a mathematical basis for their positions they'd have given it. I mean, why not? After all, a two page proof using high school algebra should give endless opportunity—if an error exists.
Just remember what I said about skilled mathematicians. The truly skilled could hardly be expected to miss an approach that successfully solves the most famous problem in their field.
Before now, mathematicians have lived in a world where they could follow human rules and get status when they might have just known how to please some professors. I'm giving a definitive test from the heart of mathematics itself and no mathematician can hide because it's the most famous math problem in the world using secondary school mathematics.
EVERY mathematician is testable with it—"pure" or "applied".
So, if you've always wanted to know how smart that mathematician you know really is, now's your chance to find out.
# posted by James Harris @ 10:17 
