> beauty is the only criterion for a work of pure mathematics
I'm no mathematician, but I think correctness and consistency must factor in somewhere.
I'm no mathematician, but I think correctness and consistency must factor in somewhere.
Analogous to how music adheres to certain rules and structures (these rules and structures are allowed to vary across genres).
Another analogy is how a “beautiful play” in basketball should adhere to the rules of the game. For example, a beautiful dunk during a game implies that the player wasn’t travelling or carrying the ball.
My third analogy would be a “beautiful move” in chess. It’s implied you followed the chess rules to make that move otherwise it wouldn’t be beautiful.
You can invent aesthetically pleasing theories and notations but if it doesn't help solving a problem.. it's a bit moot.