On proof and progress in mathematics
1994/04/01 by William P. Thurston · 19 voices · 14 citations
Mathematics · #math.HO
paper · pdf
published as Bull. Amer. Math. Soc. (N.S.) 30 (1994) 161-177 · 17 pages. Abstract added in migration.
arxiv created 1994/04/01 · arxiv updated 2009/11/30
Abstract
In response to Jaffe and Quinn [math.HO/9307227], the author discusses forms of progress in mathematics that are not captured by formal proofs of theorems, especially in his own work in the theory of foliations and geometrization of 3-manifolds and dynamical systems.
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Discussions
- following a recommendation from @wattenberg.bsky.social I read "On Proof and Progress in Mathematics" and it is FANTASTIC. I think everyone who is doing some sort of science and/or publishing should r [bsky, 52 points, 1 comments]
- On proof and progress in mathematics (1994) [hn, 25 points, 5 comments]
- I am collecting ideas for a talk I will give to #mathematics students at the 2025 AMSI summer school. I keep going back to Bill Thurston’s “On proof and progress in mathematics”. If you haven’t read i [bsky, 24 points, 2 comments]
- Start your week off right, by reading this classic essay by William Thurston about what math is really about. arxiv.org/pdf/math/940... [bsky, 10 points, 1 comments]
- i think a lot about this thing thurston says in "on proof and progress in mathematics" 🧮 arxiv.org/pdf/math/940... [bsky, 8 points, 1 comments]
- arxiv.org/abs/math/940... [bsky, 5 points, 0 comments]
- On proof and progress in mathematics (William Thurston) [lemmy, 5 points, 0 comments]
- Not exactly what you are saying, but Thurston wrote a very interesting paper on the importance of interpersonal communication to the progress of mathematics arxiv.org/abs/math/940... [bsky, 4 points, 1 comments]
- This immediately brought up Thurston's "On Proof and Progress in Mathematics" arxiv.org/abs/math/940... [bsky, 3 points, 0 comments]
- phenomenal 1994 paper by William Thurston on the nature of mathematics, proofs, and computers. super honest, must read stuff arxiv.org/pdf/math/940... [bsky, 3 points, 0 comments]
- What do Mathematicians Do? [hn, 2 points, 0 comments]
- Proof and Progress in Mathematics (1994) [hn, 2 points, 0 comments]
- Proof and Progress in Mathematics [hn, 2 points, 0 comments]
- On proof and progress in mathematics (1994) [hn, 1 points, 0 comments]
- On proof and progress in mathematics (1994) [hn, 1 points, 1 comments]
- On proof and progress in mathematics (1994) [pdf] [hn, 1 points, 0 comments]
- I write entirely to find out what I'm thinking, what I'm looking at, what I see and what it means. What I want and what I fear — Joan Didion www.nytimes.com/1976/12/05/a... [bsky, 0 points, 1 comments]
- Reading for a train journey (LDS-PBO) https://arxiv.org/pdf/math/9404236.pdf [bsky, 0 points, 0 comments]
- Mathematicians have tools to show formal correctness, which don't exist in the humanities. AI's usefulness in maths relies on LLMs interacting with formal correctness tools. It's also worth noting Thu [bsky, 0 points, 0 comments]
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