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Post Made Community Wiki by Roy Maclean
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Consolidation: Aftermathematics of fadsFrom Frank Quinn's THE NATURE OF CONTEMPORARY CORE MATHEMATICS: "Mathematics has occasional fads, but for the most part it is a long-term solitary activity. In consequence the community lacks the customs evolved in physics to deal with the aftermathematics of fads. If mathematicians desert an area no one comes in afterwards to clean up. Lack of large-scale cleanup mechanisms makes mathematical areas vulnerable to quality control problems. There are a number of once-hot areas that did not get cleaned up and will be hard to unravel when the developers are not available. Funding agencies might watch for this and sponsor physics-style review and consolidation activity when it happens." Can you give examples of such once-hot areas in need of consolidation ?
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