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Isn't the accepted version of this that Fermat thought he had an elegant solution, but had actually made some simple logical error in his reasoning? And Andrew
by tragomaskhalos 8y ago
Isn't the accepted version of this that Fermat thought he had an elegant solution, but had actually made some simple logical error in his reasoning? And Andrew Wiles' solution is certainly not simple. However it is very seductive to imagine that Fermat was correct, and it's just that no-one since has had the insight to rediscover it.
- anacleto 8y agoVery seductive but highly unrealistic. Wiles' proof required math techniques undiscovered at the time Fermat made this famous statement.
- whatshisface 8y agoJust because our proof is complicated does not mean Fermat's proof couldn't have been simple, as no exhaustive search of all possible short proofs has ever been carried out. Vanishingly unlikely yes, but not proven false, and after all it is exceedingly romantic. ;)
- anacleto 8y ago> and after all it is exceedingly romantic. Agree on that part. (: