You've pulled that out of thin air, so I can dismiss it in the same spirit. No, ...

rramadass · 2026-09-15T10:16:03

What part of "It is called common decency/etiquette, having ethics/morals and not plagiarising/stealing others work" don't you understand?

It is the accepted way to use each other's works in the scientific community. That is why citations/references/bibliographies exist.

pfdietz · 2026-09-15T15:52:20

I understand it. I just consider it a bullshit take that has nothing to do with the reality of mathematics.

There's never been such a consideration that one should not work on a problem that someone else is working on or has worked on. Nor do I think it's something that should be true. Mathematics exists and is supported to benefit society, not to pamper mathematicians.

rramadass · 2026-09-16T08:38:43

> There's never been such a consideration that one should not work on a problem that someone else is working on or has worked on.

That is not what i meant at all. This is your erroneous take.

In any scientific community when people work on the same problems, if they are aware of the others work, they usually cooperate/share their findings especially if the problem is a long-standing nobel-prize/fields-medal worthy one. If one builds their approach based on others then there definitely is a citation/reference acknowledging others contributions.

This is the ethical accepted practice since the dawn of the scientific age because "standing on the shoulders of giants" and building from there is how science advances.