"Understanding" is a weak descriptor: Lean proofs are precise understanding, and machines build on them
sytelus · x · 2026-09-19
The author argues "understanding" is a very weak descriptor: human understanding is just axioms plus procedures that mechanically keep working. Any Lean proof, by contrast, provides precise and complete understanding of why a statement is true — and machines will keep building on them and making new discoveries because they do "understand" them. If humans struggle to digest that, it's their problem, just as the public never digesting Fields medalists' work was never the medalists' issue.
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