Whether or not mathematics, or particular branches thereof, are worthwhile is a personal decision. Seven billion people, seven billion opinions, likely most being that mathematics is totally worthless. -- Gene From: James Buddenhagen <jbuddenh@gmail.com> To: math-fun <math-fun@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2014 8:40 AM Subject: Re: [math-fun] Grothendieck This brings up the more general question of whether mathematics needs to have applications to be worthwhile. And, for that matter, what is an application? Do applications to other parts of mathematics count? Or must they be real-world applications? And finally, if some of us don't think any applications should be required of mathematics to be worthwhile or interesting, then how does one decide what is worthwhile, or what is interesting? On Sun, Nov 16, 2014 at 10:31 AM, Warren D Smith <warren.wds@gmail.com> wrote:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weil_conjectures
is something that Grothendieck contributed to, which seems amazing and whose statement can actually be comprehended. Does it have any applications, or does it just seem amazing? Well, I actually am aware of a few applications of the Weil conjectures, but I think most or all of those applications were later also accomplished in far simpler ways without needing to go anywhere near said conjectures.