Informal versus formal mathematics

Francisco A. Doria

pp. 401-415

in: Jean-Yves Béziau, Décio Krause (eds), New trends in the foundations of science, Synthese 154 (3), 2007.

Abstract

We discuss Kunen’s algorithmic implementation of a proof for the Paris–Harrington theorem, and the author’s and da Costa’s proposed “exotic” formulation for the P =  NP hypothesis. Out of those two examples we ponder the relation between mathematics within an axiomatic framework, and intuitive or informal mathematics.