Reminds me of discussions which purported to prove, not that a particular number was prime, but that there was a 1 in BigNum probability that it was not prime.
The mathematicians in the audience seemed to consider that unacceptable to the point of being useless. Nonetheless, someone pointed out (to much laughter) that the chances of any given proof being incorrect were significantly higher than that 1 in BigNum. Of course, we've all been there--thought we proved something we didn't.
I regard the chances of machine malfunction similarly, and have a similar standard for proof. If you can examine the code and the processes sufficiently, there is no reason not to trust the machine. At least, no more reason than there is not to trust your and others' minds. I suspect this view is common, given that most folks consider the Four Color Theorem proven.
The mathematicians in the audience seemed to consider that unacceptable to the point of being useless. Nonetheless, someone pointed out (to much laughter) that the chances of any given proof being incorrect were significantly higher than that 1 in BigNum. Of course, we've all been there--thought we proved something we didn't.
I regard the chances of machine malfunction similarly, and have a similar standard for proof. If you can examine the code and the processes sufficiently, there is no reason not to trust the machine. At least, no more reason than there is not to trust your and others' minds. I suspect this view is common, given that most folks consider the Four Color Theorem proven.