Re: The formal and informal proofs



T.B. wrote:

> Hello,
> Is a system strictly formal when each and every of its parts is made
> entirely explicit, i.e. when the computing model with which it is
> identified is a register machine? I hope I am not being a disgrace

Only dishonesty, greed, the way some people treat others here, etc. are
disgraceful.

If you are a computer programmer, think of a formal exposition (system,
theorem, proof) as "programmable specs". It gives the exact syntax and
semantics of a system which contains an infinite number of elements
(wffs, theorems, proofs.) An informal exposition is a "spec" in which
the semantics are given but the actual input and output (the syntax) is
not given. You know what they mean, but no formal representation of
the infinite number of variations is given.

System = specifications for a computer program

Formal = syntax and semantics are given

Informal = only semantics are given

C-B

> Tom

.



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