I got in to diagonalisation proofs when, in quick succession, my brother explained Cantor's diagonal argument and I read Hofstadter's GEB (or something else - but think it was GEB) with a diagonalisation proof of the halting problem. Many long years' lack of use means I cannot now recall what any of them actually proved (bar those two) ... and I'm sufficiently hazy about the halting problem one that I would never attempt it in public without practicing first.
I'm not usually a big fan of fake proofs, but I do like the juxtaposition of the 'proof that all positive integers are interesting', and the counter-argument, 'proof that all positive integers are boring'.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2009-02-19 04:54 pm (UTC)I'm not usually a big fan of fake proofs, but I do like the juxtaposition of the 'proof that all positive integers are interesting', and the counter-argument, 'proof that all positive integers are boring'.