Re: What is a proof, exactly?

From: Han de Bruijn (Han.deBruijn_at_DTO.TUDelft.NL)
Date: 12/03/04 

Date: Fri, 03 Dec 2004 09:32:21 +0100

Jasper Stein wrote:

> - Suppose aliens gave us a pack of paper, full of english text and
> mathematical symbols, ending in "... and hence the Riemann Hypothesis is
> proved. QED." Suppose also that this text was so intricate and so involved
> and so convoluted that no one would be able to understand it in full. Does
> this pack of paper constitute a proof?

The aliens have landed! Actually, there does _exist_ such a (would-be?)
proof here on earth:

http://www.math.purdue.edu/~branges/

Han de Bruijn