Is mathematical abstraction just human assembly code? The case that AI can grind through what we can't
Jsevillamol · x · 2026-09-16
Greg Burnham sparked a discussion on the nature of mathematical abstraction: perhaps humans 'invent new theories' to avoid super-intricate computations we can't otherwise handle — analogous to how we don't code in assembly. But maybe math doesn't really require abstractions, and AI can grind to high heaven.
He adds that AI has clearly improved in the degree of mathematical abstraction it can deploy. The thread leaves open whether abstraction is a human patch or intrinsic to mathematics.
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