|
Beer's eKeg Main |
|
Beer's eKeg Laughs |
The unknown authors will have to go unrecognized but not unthanked. I thought that these methods would leaven this issue on proof. If the proof of a theorem is not immediately apparent, it may be because you are trying the wrong approach. Below are some effective methods of proof that may aim you in the right direction.
| Proof by obviousness | "The proof is so clear that it need not be mentioned." |
| Proof by general agreement | "All in favor? ..." |
| Proof by imagination | "Well, we'll pretend it's true..." |
| Proof by convenience | "It would be very nice if it were true, so..." |
| Proof by necessity | "It had better be true, or the entire structure of mathematics would crumble to the ground." |
| Proof by plausibility | "It sounds good, so it must be true." |
| Proof by intimidation | "Don't be stupid; of course it's true." |
| Proof by lack of sufficient time | "Because of the time constraint, I'll leave the proof to you." |
| Proof by postponement | "The proof for this is long and arduous, so it is given in the appendix." |
| Proof by accident | "Hey, what have we here?!" |
| Proof by insignificance | "Who really cares, anyway?" |
| Proof by mumbo-jumbo |  ... |
| Proof by profanity | (example omitted) |
| Proof by definition | "We define it to be true." |
| Proof by tautology | "It's true because it's true." |
| Proof by plagarism | "As we see on page 289, ..." |
| Proof by lost reference | "I know I saw it somewhere..." |
| Proof by calculus | "The proof requires calculus, so we'll skip it." |
| Proof by terror | When intimidation fails... |
| Proof by lack of interest | "Does anyone really want to see this?" |
| Proof by illegibility |  |
| Proof by logic | "If it is on the problem sheet, then it must be true!" |
| Proof by majority rule | Only to be used if proof by general agreement is impossible. |
| Proof by clever variable choice | "Let A be the number such that the proof works..." |
| Proof by tessellation | "This proof is the same as the last." |
| Proof by divine word | "... And the Lord said, 'Let it be true,' and it was true." |
| Proof by stubbornness | "I don't care what you say - it is true!" |
| Proof by simplification | "This proof reduces to the statement 1 + 1 = 2" |
| Proof by hasty generalization | "Well, it works for 17, so it works for all reals." |
| Proof by deception | "Now everyone turn their backs..." |
| Proof by supplication | "Oh please, let it be true." |
| Proof by poor analogy | "Well, it's just like..." |
| Proof by avoidance | Limit of proof by postponement as it approaches infinity. |
| Proof by design | If it's not true in today's math, invent a new system in which it is. |
| Proof by authority | "Well, Don Knuth says it's true, so it must be!" |
| Proof by intuition | "I just have this gut feeling..." |
