The article suggests this test to establish that math is running out of interesting research: "Take a fairly generalist journal, like the Journal of Algebra (take a topic in which you have expertise — my doctoral thesis was in algebra). Look at some of the papers. How many of them are truly interesting to you?".
But it seems to me fairly likely that applying the same test to math journals from 100 or 200 years ago would produce similar results. Most published papers will not be of great interest to any particular one person.
But it seems to me fairly likely that applying the same test to math journals from 100 or 200 years ago would produce similar results. Most published papers will not be of great interest to any particular one person.