3 ms·

My understanding is that since any mathematical proof can (in principle) be reduced to manipulation with formal objects (symbols), it’s always “constructive.”

• hintymad 6y ago
  Not really. Check out the proof of Hilbert's Nullstellensatz. He got tons of criticism for proving the existence of a relation without constructing that relation.
  • Koshkin 6y ago
    But he did construct the proof! (So, the argument can only be about what axioms the proof is based on.)
    • alexanderchr 6y ago
      This is not what constructivity means in mathematics.
      • Koshkin 6y ago
        What I was objecting to was that constructive proofs are somehow easier to understand.