Abstract

John Barker’s beautiful paper was full of elegant arguments against my view that mathematical proofs cannot really be beautiful or elegant, except in a metaphorical sense. The same is true of Barker’s impressive paper if I am right! On first and second readings, I was almost ready to wave a white flat of surrenderhis arguments, positive and negative, seemed unassailable. I contemplated a brief, if unsporting, “I agree” response. Nevertheless, I think I can offer something in reply