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About this quote

What does it mean?
Poincare states that every definition implies an axiom and must be proven free of contradiction.
In plain terms
A definition implies existence and must be shown to have no contradictions.
What can you take from it?
Definitions must be logically consistent to be justified.

Where it applies

  • mathematical reasoning
  • logical analysis
  • conceptual clarity

Putting it to work

  • teaching logic
  • validating concepts
  • mathematical education

Questions to consider

  • What makes a definition valid?
  • Can all concepts be defined without contradiction?

Another view

Some definitions in practice rely on intuition rather than strict logical proof.

More from Henri Poincare

  1. La logique nous apprend que sur tel ou tel chemin nous sommes surs de ne pas rencontrer d'obstacle; elle ne nous dit pas quel est celui qui mene au but. Pour c…

    Permalink to quote #18
  2. Everybody firmly believes in it because the mathematicians imagine it is a fact of observation, and observers that it is a theory of mathematics.

    Permalink to quote #20
  3. C'est par la logique qu'on demontre, c'est par l'intuition qu'on invente.

    Permalink to quote #17

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