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Introduction to the course

Education is not to teach men facts, theories, or laws; it is not to reform them, or amuse them, or to make them expert technicians in any field; it is to teach them to think ...

- Robert Maynard Hutchins

Discovering and writing proofs are among the most innovative (and beautiful) human inventions. Students generally do not like proofs (and often for a good reason): Proofs are rarely directly useful in practice. While this can be true to a certain extent, the process of discovering proofs often leads to enhanced human ability to think deeply and carefully, surprisingly discovering flaws that could be otherwise hidden.