If math is more than proof, we need to better celebrate the rest of it(terrytao.wordpress.com)
423 points by num42 25 days ago | 284 comments
tl;dr: Grant Sanderson (3Blue1Brown) argues that as AI increasingly generates proofs, mathematics should formally elevate "motivated explanations"—work that clarifies *why* theorems are true and how one might discover them—to the same academic status as proving open problems. He proposes concrete steps like defining "open exposition problems" analogous to Millennium Prize problems, creating dedicated journals, and weighting exposition in tenure decisions. He frames this cultural shift as both a response to AI and an opportunity to reassure young mathematicians that human understanding, not proof-generation, is the field's true goal.
HN Discussion:
  • ↑Historical loss of intuition in math education supports elevating explanation over pure proof
  • ↓Mathematicians are self-servingly pivoting to protect their profession from AI disruption
  • ~AI is a powerful tool that enhances mathematicians' work rather than replacing understanding
  • ↑Understanding and side quests from hard problems are essential to human progress and shouldn't be lost
  • ↑Math is suffering from Goodhart's Law where proof-as-target has corrupted the field