Probabilistic proofs and transferability

Kenny Easwaran*

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    33 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    In a series of papers, Don Fallis points out that although mathematicians are generally unwilling to accept merely probabilistic proofs, they do accept proofs that are incomplete, long and complicated, or partly carried out by computers. He argues that there are no epistemic grounds on which probabilistic proofs can be rejected while these other proofs are accepted. I defend the practice by presenting a property I call 'transferability', which probabilistic proofs lack and acceptable proofs have. I also consider what this says about the similarities between mathematics and, on the one hand natural sciences, and on the other hand philosophy.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)341-362
    Number of pages22
    JournalPhilosophia Mathematica
    Volume17
    Issue number3
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2009

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Probabilistic proofs and transferability'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this