You raise interesting points. Like it or not, mathematics is partly a matter of consensus. This is dismaying because we were educated, explicitly or implicitly, to think of math as absolute. Instead, it's only the most absolute thing we humans are allowed. There being no "god," the limitation to our possible knowledge (also evident in physics for several reasons) is built into the universe at a very deep level. The most complex proofs must be accepted provisionally, since all advanced science and math is accepted on the basis of approval by experts. As much as I dislike it, even mathematics is therefore subject to authority. But I, for one, plug along, continuing to find and prove some of these maximally absolute things (in my case, rather minor ones) knowing that a theorem once established will very likely never be disestablished. Steve Gray -----Original Message----- From: math-fun-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:math-fun-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of James Buddenhagen Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 7:13 AM To: math-fun Subject: Re: [math-fun] Missing Catalan identity This brings to mind something that has been bothering me for a long time: when should I accept that something is true? rgw points to nice list of definite integrals, each of which evaluates (it is claimed) to Catalan's constant, and then provides one of his own. Robert Baillie then casts some doubt. Are they true? The last one on the list uses C rather than G for Catalan's constant, which seems logical to me, but differs from all the others. Should I be more doubtful of that one? Somehow I am, but more because the calculation is longer.