Pseudomathematics
(Pseudoscience)
Tech
What is Pseudomathematics?
Pseudomathematics, or mathematical crankery, is a form of mathematics-like activity that aims at advancing a set of questionable beliefs that do not adhere to the framework of rigor of formal mathematical practice. Pseudomathematics has equivalents in other scientific fields, such as pseudophysics, and overlaps with these to some extent. Pseudomathematics often contain a great amount of mathematical fallacies, whose executions are tied to elements of deceit rather than genuine, unsuccessful attempts at tackling a problem. More often than not, excessive pursuit of pseudomathematics can result in the practitioner being labelled a crank. Because it is based on non-mathematical principles, pseudomathematics is not related to attempts at genuine proofs that contain mistakes. Indeed, such mistakes are common in the careers of amateur mathematicians, some of which would go on to produce celebrated results. The topic of mathematical crankery has been extensively studied by mathematician Underwood Dudley, who has written several popular works about mathematical cranks and their ideas.