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Comment by fiforpg

The use of computers in mathematics has been somewhat controversial from the very start.

There are of course all the computer-assisted proofs (see 4 color theorem), as well as the partially-assisted ones (see Viazovska et al on packing problems in dimensions 8, 24). But even finding a solution numerically, then rigorously verifying its properties can leave a lingering sense of incompleteness, of a gap in understanding. I like this one quote by (allegedly) Wigner that illustrates it well:

"It is nice to know that the computer understands the problem, but I would like to understand the problem, too."

parent fiforpg 4 months ago

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