Science is a human activity (was: Python syntax in Lisp and Scheme)

[Michele Dondi]

On Tue, 21 Oct 2003 20:33:23 -0700, David Eppstein
<eppstein at ics.uci.edu> wrote:

>> I am not claiming that it is a counterexample, but I've always met
>> with some difficulties imagining how the usual proof of Euler's
>> theorem about the number of corners, sides and faces of a polihedron
>> (correct terminology, BTW?) could be formalized. Also, however that
>> could be done, I feel an unsatisfactory feeling about how complex it
>> would be if compared to the conceptual simplicity of the proof itself.
>
>Which one do you think is the usual proof?
>http://www.ics.uci.edu/~eppstein/junkyard/euler/

Uhmmm, let me see... 13! (no, not the factorial of 13)

>Anyway, this exact example was the basis for a whole book about what is 
>involved in going from informal proof idea to formal proof: 
>http://www.ics.uci.edu/~eppstein/junkyard/euler/refs.html#Lak

D'Oh! Unfortunate choice of mine...


Michele
-- 
> Comments should say _why_ something is being done.
Oh? My comments always say what _really_ should have happened. :)
- Tore Aursand on comp.lang.perl.misc