Re:Any smooth cubic surface contains 27 lines
by omaranto on Tuesday February 16, 2016 @06:55PM
(#11114072)
Are you asking for a proof of the "fact" that all proofs of the theorem about cubic surfaces having 27 lines are non-trivial? If so, then no, there is not even a definition of non-trivial proof, let alone a proof that any specific proof is non-trivial or a proof that there exists a fact all of whose proofs are non-trivial.
Re:Any smooth cubic surface contains 27 lines
by amelius on Wednesday February 17, 2016 @09:53AM
(#11118191)
My definition of a trivial proof would be a proof that is mechanically verifiable. I.e., it is verifiable by even something as "dumb" as a computer.
Of course, such proofs tend to be longer than most proofs that are considered non-trivial.
Re:Any smooth cubic surface contains 27 lines
by omaranto on Wednesday February 17, 2016 @03:10PM
(#11120877)
Maybe years ago that would have been a plausible definition, but by now many proofs have been verified by computer, including several which probably no-one would feel comfortable calling trivial.
Re:Any smooth cubic surface contains 27 lines
by jsprogrammer on Tuesday February 16, 2016 @07:11PM
(#11114144)
Yes, that is what I was asking for.
What does the sentence mean then?
One particular proof (of which we do not know if it is exclusive) is non-trivial (whatever that means)? Or, perhaps, all known (to the author) proofs are non-trivial?
Re:Any smooth cubic surface contains 27 lines
by omaranto on Tuesday February 16, 2016 @07:29PM
(#11114217)
Baez didn't mean that as a mathematical statement rather as a statement in the field of history and human psychology: "So far nobody has been able to devise a proof that is widely regarded by people who study it as being trivial (where triviality of a proof is a subjective judgment for which there is (1) no formal criterion, but also (2) a surprising amount of agreement)."
Re:Any smooth cubic surface contains 27 lines
by flubert on Tuesday February 16, 2016 @07:39PM
(#11114282)
>No matter how one goes about it, the proof of this theorem is nontrivial.
...I'm going to guess he really means:
"No matter how one goes about it, this proof of the theorem is nontrivial."
...and not...
"No matter how one goes about it, all proofs of this theorem are nontrivial."
Re:Any smooth cubic surface contains 27 lines
by heinrichhartman on Wednesday February 17, 2016 @03:51AM
(#11116325)
More like:
"I am aware of several proofs of this theorem. None of them is trivial."
Is there a proof of this?
Also, AMS: adding additional text to the text I selected to copy is not cool.