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From: jcz@ncsu.UUCP (John Carl Zeigler)
Newsgroups: net.ai
Subject: Re: Mathematical Methods
Message-ID: <2622@ncsu.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 18-Jun-84 18:10:07 EDT
Article-I.D.: ncsu.2622
Posted: Mon Jun 18 18:10:07 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 20-Jun-84 00:49:28 EDT
References: <7379@rochester.UUCP>
Organization: N.C. State University, Raleigh
Lines: 26

It is not surprising that mathemeticians cannot
remember what they do when they first
contsrtuct proofs, especially 'difficult' proofs.

Difficult proofs probably take quite a bit of processing power,
with none left over for observing and recording what was done.

In order to get a record of what exactly occurs ( a 'protocol' )
when a proof is being constructed, we would have to interrupt the
subject and get him to tell us what he is doing - interferring with the precise
things we want to measure!

There is much the same problem with studying how programmers
write programs.    We can approach a recording by saving every scrap of paper
and recording every keystroke, but that is not such a great clue
to mental processes.

It would be nice if some mathemetician would save EVERY single scrap of
paper ( timestamped, please! ) involved in a proof, from start to finish.
Maybe we would find some insight in that. . . 

John Carl Zeigler
North Carolina State University