Post Two

Opinion on Proofs

    Now that we've learned the basics we've moved on to proving implications. Though proofs can be challenging they're what makes this course interesting for me. In my opinion the content we learned prior to starting proofs was, although challenging in its own right, rather dull. Luckily now instead of learning about symbols and their relation to one another we're using them to gain a better understanding of a given implication, through either proving or disproving it.

    The reason I find proofs interesting is also one of the reasons I enjoy computer science. It's because writing a program is in and of itself akin to writing a proof. You implement the basics of a given language in a logical manner in order to reach a specific goal much like how we're implementing logical symbols to reach a specific conclusion about an implication. This requires some creativity and is more engaging than simply memorizing facts.

Proof Outline

    My initial reaction to the proof outline was that it is redundant and unnecessarily contrived. This is because when writing down a proof you already understand the value of its structure may go unappreciated. But it's important to keep in mind that you're not writing out the proof solely for your present self but rather for anyone who may read it in the future. With that in mind things like the scope of parts of your proof become vital and that's why a proper proof outline is so important.