“Euclid taught me that without assumptions there is no proof. Therefore, in any argument, examine the assumptions.”

—  Eric Temple Bell

Mathematics Magazine, Vol. 23-24. (1949), p. 161
Context: Euclid taught me that without assumptions there is no proof. Therefore, in any argument, examine the assumptions. Then, in the alleged proof, be alert for inexplicit assumptions. Euclid's notorious oversights drove this lesson home.

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Eric Temple Bell14
mathematician and science fiction author born in Scotland w… 1883–1960

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