Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site Cascade.ARPA
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!qantel!hplabs!pesnta!greipa!decwrl!Glacier!Cascade!marks
From: marks@Cascade.ARPA
Newsgroups: net.jokes.d,net.misc
Subject: Wanted: list of proof methodologies
Message-ID: <21@Cascade.ARPA>
Date: Fri, 8-Nov-85 18:28:25 EST
Article-I.D.: Cascade.21
Posted: Fri Nov  8 18:28:25 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 11-Nov-85 06:37:05 EST
Distribution: net
Organization: Stanford University Center for Integrated Systems
Lines: 32
Xref: watmath net.jokes.d:1202 net.misc:8869

--

I'm looking for a list of humorous proofs I once saw.  It included such
proofs as:

    Proof by lack of counterexamples:
	"I looked for a long time for counterexamples, and I couldn't
	find any, so it must be true."

    Proof by authority:
	"I asked Knuth and he said it was true."

    Proof by blatant assertion:
	"This is obvious to anyone who looks at it."

    Proof by intimidation:
	"I'm your thesis advisor, so it must be true."

... and so forth.

Does anybody have a complete list of such "proofs" that you might be
able to send to me?

Thanks!

Stuart
-- 
Stuart Marks, Center for Integrated Systems, Stanford University
    {ucbvax,decvax}!decwrl!glacier!marks, marks@su-cascade.ARPA

"Is not Napoleon.  Is not Hitler.  Is not Mussolini.  Is Allegro con Brio!"
		-- Toscanini, on Beethoven's 3rd Symphony, "Eroica"