Proof by intimidation
Encyclopedia
Proof by intimidation is a jocular term used mainly in mathematics
to refer to a style of presenting a purported mathematical proof
by giving an argument loaded with jargon and appeal to obscure results, so that the audience is simply obliged to accept it, lest they have to admit their ignorance and lack of understanding. The term is also used when the author is an authority in his field presenting his proof to people who respect a priori his insistence that the proof is valid
or when the author claims that his statement is true because it is trivial or because he simply says so. Usage of this term is for the most part in good humour, though it also appears in serious criticism. More generally, "proof by intimidation" has also been used by critics of junk science
to describe cases in which scientific evidence
is thrown aside in favour of a litany of tragic individual cases presented to the public by articulate advocates who pose as experts in their field.
Gian-Carlo Rota
claimed in a memoir that the expression "proof by intimidation" was coined by Mark Kac
to describe a technique used by William Feller
in his lectures.
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
to refer to a style of presenting a purported mathematical proof
Mathematical proof
In mathematics, a proof is a convincing demonstration that some mathematical statement is necessarily true. Proofs are obtained from deductive reasoning, rather than from inductive or empirical arguments. That is, a proof must demonstrate that a statement is true in all cases, without a single...
by giving an argument loaded with jargon and appeal to obscure results, so that the audience is simply obliged to accept it, lest they have to admit their ignorance and lack of understanding. The term is also used when the author is an authority in his field presenting his proof to people who respect a priori his insistence that the proof is valid
Invalid proof
In mathematics, certain kinds of mistakes in proof, calculation, or derivation are often exhibited, and sometimes collected, as illustrations of the concept of mathematical fallacy...
or when the author claims that his statement is true because it is trivial or because he simply says so. Usage of this term is for the most part in good humour, though it also appears in serious criticism. More generally, "proof by intimidation" has also been used by critics of junk science
Junk science
Junk science is a term used in U.S. political and legal disputes that brands an advocate's claims about scientific data, research, or analyses as spurious. The term may convey a pejorative connotation that the advocate is driven by political, ideological, financial, or other unscientific...
to describe cases in which scientific evidence
Scientific evidence
Scientific evidence has no universally accepted definition but generally refers to evidence which serves to either support or counter a scientific theory or hypothesis. Such evidence is generally expected to be empirical and properly documented in accordance with scientific method such as is...
is thrown aside in favour of a litany of tragic individual cases presented to the public by articulate advocates who pose as experts in their field.
Gian-Carlo Rota
Gian-Carlo Rota
Gian-Carlo Rota was an Italian-born American mathematician and philosopher.-Life:Rota was born in Vigevano, Italy...
claimed in a memoir that the expression "proof by intimidation" was coined by Mark Kac
Mark Kac
Mark Kac was a Polish mathematician. His main interest was probability theory. His question, "Can one hear the shape of a drum?" set off research into spectral theory, with the idea of understanding the extent to which the spectrum allows one to read back the geometry. Kac completed his Ph.D...
to describe a technique used by William Feller
William Feller
William Feller born Vilibald Srećko Feller , was a Croatian-American mathematician specializing in probability theory.-Early life and education:...
in his lectures.
See also
- Argument from repetition
- Sophistry
- Gish Gallop
- Argument from authorityArgument from authorityArgument from authority is a special type of inductive argument which often takes the form of a statistical syllogism....
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- HandwavingHandwavingHandwaving is a pejorative label applied to the action of displaying the appearance of doing something, when actually doing little, or nothing. For example, it is applied to debate techniques that involve logical fallacies. It is also used in working situations where productive work is expected,...