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Douglas Sirk
Douglas Sirk
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When is a paper finished?

How much truth is there to Chomsky's remark that "mathematicians stop working when things get too difficult"?

https://youtu.be/atupfHizJxM?t=453

Is this true in your own work? How do you know you are finished with a given line of inquiry (at least for the time being) and it's time to publish the paper?

Is stating open questions at the end of a paper an admission of defeat? Is there any rule of thumb you use on deciding whether or not to post/publish your questions?