paper

Grothendieck's use of equality

arXiv:2405.10387

Abstract

We discuss how the concept of equality is used by mathematicians (including Grothendieck), and what effect this has when trying to formalise mathematics. We challenge various reasonable-sounding slogans about equality.

Write-up of my talk given at the conference "Grothendieck, a Multifarious Giant: Mathematics, Logic and Philosophy" at Chapman University