Sure, but the whole point is to avoid the need to do that! Manipulating symbols is the way to automate reasoning, i.e. to get to a result while completely ignor

Sure, but the whole point is to avoid the need to do that! Manipulating symbols is the way to automate reasoning, i.e. to get to a result while completely ignoring said "facts." Using the symbols to merely "state the facts" is abuse (of the reader, mostly).