Re: EML: All elementary functions from a single operator

There is a lot of confusion about what this paper does and doesn't do. It
is partly the author's fault, as the title says "all elementary
functions". But the abstract makes it clear that it only handles the
"standard repertoire of a scientific calculator". Some commentators on
Facebook say that it can define "every transcendental function"; that's
clearly wrong -- I think they're confused and simply mean "the"
transcendental functions of high-school algebra, namely the trig and
hyperbolic functions.

I disagree that it's like Turing completeness. It's much less interesting
than that, and has no theoretical or practical consequences as far as I can
tell.

On Fri, Apr 17, 2026 at 4:45 AM Andreas Eder via Maxima-discuss <
[email protected]> wrote:

> On Fr 17 Apr 2026 at 01:06, Brent Meeker wrote:
>
> > I think it's interesting that such a compression of functions is
> > possible. It's rather like Turing completeness; of no practical use but
> > good to know.
>
> Have a look at https://www.stylewarning.com/posts/not-all-elementary/
>
> It is interesting and makes the point that not all elementary functions
> in the usual sense used in mathematics are of this form.
>
> 'Andreas
>
> --
> ceterum censeo redmondinem esse delendam
>
>
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