Logic List Mailing Archive

The Notion of Proof

8 Jul 2014
Coimbra, Portugal

CICM 2014 workshop "The Notion of Proof"
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Date: July 8, 2014

Location: University of Coimbra (Portugal)

Homepage: http://cicm-conference.org/2014/cicm.php?event=nop&menu=general

Part of the Conference on Intelligent Computer Mathematics (CICM) 2014:

   http://cicm-conference.org/2014/cicm.php

Description
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We have already witnessed the moment where chess-playing computers
have surpassed humans. It might seem to be only a matter of time that
computers will also surpass humans in mathematical theorem proving. In
fact, the traditional notion of mathematical proof faces in the 21st
century what we will call "the computer challenge". Three different
aspects are worth separating:

* proof search;
* proof check;
* proof representation.

Proof search has its known limitations due to undecidability and
complexity results. However, special areas, such as semigroup theory,
already enjoy considerable support from computer-generated proofs.
Proof check is recently a "hot" area, in no small part due to the
attempt to formally verify the proof of the Kepler conjecture by its
author Hales.  Proof representation seems currently to be a stumbling
block for convincing the mathematical community to accept
computer-aided theorem proving as a viable complement to everyday
mathematical research.

For our workshop we solicit contributions for discussions about the
current state-of-the-art of automated theorem proving (ATP),
approaching the topic from the mathematical (or even philosophical)
side, as well as from computer science.  In addition to standard
scientific/philosophical papers, descriptions and demonstrations of
computer systems that bear on these issues are also welcome.  Special
focus is put on the last two items mentioned above, addressing the
more concrete questions:

* How, and to what extent, can (or will) proof checking convince the
   mathematical community from the correctness of a proof?

* Do computer-generated proof representations match our intuitive
   notion of mathematical proof?

The answers to both question should give us a deeper insight in the
challenges and tasks for mathematical proofs and computer-aided
theorem proving in the 21st century.

Important dates
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May 31: Submission deadline
June 10: Author notification
July 7-11: CICM 2014
July 8: Workshop

Invited speakers
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* Freek Wiedijk (Radboud University Nijmegen, the Netherlands)
* Michael Kinyon (University of Denver, United States)

Organizers
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- Jesse Alama
   Theory and Logic Group
   Technical University of Vienna, Austria
   alama@logic.at

- Reinhard Kahle
   Center for Artificial Intelligence / Department of Mathematics
   New University of Lisbon, Portugal
   kahle@mat.uc.pt

- Gregory Wheeler
   Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy
   Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany
   Gregory.Wheeler@lrz.uni-muenchen.de

Submission
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Contributors can submit a 1-2 page abstract via Easychair at the

   https://www.easychair.org/conferences/?conf=nop2014

Submissions will be selected for presentation by the organizers with
the possible assistance of external reviewers, as warranted.

Publication
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If the quality of the contributions warrants it, we intend to invite
contributors to expand their abstracts/talks into more complete papers.

Format
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Our workshop will last one day.  We will begin with our invited talk,
and the remainder of the time will be contributed talks, of which we
are aiming for 6-8.  At the end of the day an open discussion, led by
the organizers, will synthesize what has been presented.