[FOM] Provable security and foundations of mathematics

[Sam Sanders]

Dear Tim,

I agree with your two general reasons and would add a third one:

In physics and its philosophy/foundations, there are so-called no-go theorems that 
are intended to express that a particular situation is physically impossible.  These 
theorems of course only apply if the real world (or at least our physical theories) satisfy
the conditions of the theorem, and therein lies the rub:

certain assumptions of these theorems turn out not to be met (after careful inspection), 
or were correct at the time of proving these no-go theorems, but then the physical theories changed.  

All I am saying is that these no-go theorems are *extremely interesting*, but they are not absolute.  

Similarly, any “mathematical theory of security" will have basic assumptions that are either not met or 
will not be met in the future.  Therefore, such a theory cannot be absolute/ultimate in any sense.  

Best,

Sam