symbol-pushing

English

Etymology

Derived from symbol pushing.

Adjective

symbol-pushing (not comparable)

1. (mathematics, somewhat derogatory) Using symbol pushing; solving mathematical problems by manipulating symbols (as in algebra) rather than through visual or intuitive understanding.
   • 1995, Proof Technology in Mathematics Research and Teaching, Springer International Publishing, →ISBN, page 314:

     Reasoning by equivalence is essentially a symbol-pushing technique, which reduces algebraic reasoning to a mechanical calculation. There is nothing pejorative in describing this activity as symbol-pushing or as mechanical: in some senses this automation is liberating.

   • 1999, Max Hailperin, Barbara Kaiser, Karl Knight, Concrete Abstractions, Brooks/Cole Publishing Company, →ISBN, page 203:

     Perhaps no mechanistic symbol-pushing system could ever produce behavior that matched that of humans—after all, not all kinds of mechanisms can be used to produce all kinds of results.

   • 2018, David J. Eck, The Most Complex Machine, CRC Press, →ISBN, page 427:

     Personally I think I would have to accept any computer that were to pass the Turing Test as intelligent. Human use of language is so intricate and so laden with meaning that I don't believe this test could ever be passed without real understanding of what is being said. I tend to doubt, however, that any traditional rule-following, symbol-pushing computer will ever pass the test.