Computers in Mathematics
Stanislaw M. Ulam · Birkhäuser Boston eBooks · 1986
A lthough to many people the electronic computer has come to symbolize the importance of mathematics in the modern world, few professional mathematicians are closely acquainted with the machine. Some, in fact, seem even to fear that individual scientific efforts will be pushed into the background or replaced by less imaginative, purely mechanical habits of research. I believe such fears to be quite groundless. It is preferable to regard the computer as a handy device for manipulating and displaying symbols. Even the most abstract thinkers agree that the simple act of writing down a few symbols on a piece of paper facilitates concentration. In this respect alone — and it is not a trivial one — the new electronic machines enlarge our effective memory and provide a marvelous extension of the means for experimenting with symbols in science. In this chapter I shall try to indicate how the computer can be useful in mathematical research. These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.