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Possible Issues With the P != NP Proof

Posted by Soulskill on from the intuitively-obvious-to-the-most-casual-observer dept.

An anonymous reader writes "We previously discussed news that Vinay Deolalikar, a Principal Research Scientist at HP Labs, wrote a paper that claimed to prove P is not equal to NP. Dick Lipton, a Professor of Computer Science at Georgia Tech, analyzed the idea of the proof on his blog. In a recent post, he explains that there have been many serious objections raised about the proof. The post summarizes the issues that need to be answered in any subsequent development, and additional concerns are raised in the comment section."

4 of 147 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Proof that a proof can't exist? by madddddddddd · · Score: -1, Troll

    well... in that case you would be proving that if the proof could exist something else must exist that can be proven to never exist if the proof could exist.

    time is better spent on a O(log(n)) or better prime generating function

  2. Re:Mathematicians are gathering to vet this paper by yyxx · · Score: 0, Troll

    P=NP is a question in computer science, not mathematics. The two fields split about 50 years ago.

  3. fr@ist6 stop by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    fun to be again. BE NIIGER! BE GAY! America. You, my caaling. Now I backward and said Why not? It's quick hobbyist dilettante

  4. Re:Mathematicians are gathering to vet this paper by yyxx · · Score: 0, Troll

    But computer science is mathematics, or rather a subset thereof.

    No, it's not. The relationship between computer science and mathematics is similar to the relationship between physics and mathematics: there is some overlap, lots of fruitful cooperation, and some fundamental differences in methodology and subject matter.

    Even if computer science were a subset, it's only the computer scientists that are gathering to vet this paper. Saying "mathematicians are gathering to vet this paper" would be as misleading and irrelevant as saying "mammals are gathering to vet this paper".