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[franktaw at netscape.net]

I'd like to put my plug in for more application in math.

I heard of a case some years ago where a paper was published about some 
kind of mathematical object (I think it was a kind of topological 
space, but it really doesn't matter).  Three or four more papers were 
published, establishing more and more properties for this type of 
object - until finally it was proved that they don't exist!  This 
wouldn't have happened if somebody had asked for an example at an early 
stage.

There is a strong tendency in mathematics to start at the end.  The 
researcher pursues a line of thought, which eventually leads to a 
spiffy proof.  The proof is then published, with no hint of the process 
by which it was reached.  This is a disservice to anybody who might use 
a similar approach to solve some other problem.  It is especially a 
disservice when presented to students.

On a more personal level, I find when looking a math paper, I want to 
know how this relates to problems that I am already interested in or at 
least familiar with.  If I can't get an answer to that, I have a hard 
time maintaining any interest.

Franklin T. Adams-Watters

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