[FOM] What is the current state of the research about proving FLT?]

[Harvey Friedman]

>From Arnon Avron, 1/6/18

> Let me say it with even stronger words: in my opinion,
> a theorem can *really* be considered
> as proved in mathematics only when it reaches the stage in which its original
> proof has been  sufficiently simplified,  and then presented in textbooks
> in a way that most of the mathematicians can read and verify for themselves.
> If this cannot be done  or is not going to be done, then something
> very suspicious is going on.

Readers may want to look at
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/are-mathematicians-finall/

Also, I was under the impression that there are now some alternative
proofs of FLT around, and if so, I wonder what the situation is with
the axiomatic issues. Perhaps I am confusing this with Mordell's
Conjecture. By the way, what is the logical status of the proofs of
that? Perhaps Colin can comment on these questions.

Harvey Friedman