"symbol pushing" meaning in English

{
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "symbol pushing (uncountable)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Mathematics",
          "orig": "en:Mathematics",
          "parents": [
            "Formal sciences",
            "Sciences",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "derived": [
        {
          "tags": [
            "adjective"
          ],
          "word": "symbol-pushing"
        },
        {
          "word": "symbol pusher"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1989, R. Ferro, Logic Colloquium '88, Elsevier Science, →ISBN, page 223:",
          "text": "The fact that we eventually reach a formulation free from logic (in terms of functional analysis) does not invalidate the use of logical tools: in fact the simplest way to prove termination (i.e. nilpotency) will always be standard logical manipulation, \"symbol pushing\"; but the existence of a model for this symbol pushing obviously brings in new methods, insights, etc.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2015, The Oxford Handbook of Perceptual Organization, Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 47:",
          "text": "Other mathematicians abhor visual proofs and only recognize 'symbol pushing'. Ideally, that would lead to a mathematics that would be fully independent of the human mind, and be simply the (uninterpreted!) output of a Turing machine.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2021, Paul J. Nahin, How to Fall Slower Than Gravity, Princeton University Press, →ISBN, page 129:",
          "text": "Now, before going any further, and to help convince you that this isn't all just \"symbol pushing,\" let me show you an application of Fourier series that often occurs in mathematical physics.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The practice of solving mathematical problems by manipulating symbols (as in algebra) rather than through visual or intuitive understanding."
      ],
      "id": "en-symbol_pushing-en-noun-VFOjYPoy",
      "links": [
        [
          "mathematics",
          "mathematics"
        ],
        [
          "derogatory",
          "derogatory"
        ],
        [
          "solving",
          "solve"
        ],
        [
          "mathematical",
          "mathematical"
        ],
        [
          "problem",
          "problem"
        ],
        [
          "symbol",
          "symbol"
        ],
        [
          "algebra",
          "algebra"
        ],
        [
          "visual",
          "visual"
        ],
        [
          "intuitive",
          "intuitive"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(mathematics, somewhat derogatory) The practice of solving mathematical problems by manipulating symbols (as in algebra) rather than through visual or intuitive understanding."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "derogatory",
        "uncountable"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "mathematics",
        "sciences"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "symbol pushing"
}

{
  "derived": [
    {
      "tags": [
        "adjective"
      ],
      "word": "symbol-pushing"
    },
    {
      "word": "symbol pusher"
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "symbol pushing (uncountable)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English derogatory terms",
        "English entries with incorrect language header",
        "English lemmas",
        "English multiword terms",
        "English nouns",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English uncountable nouns",
        "Pages with 1 entry",
        "Pages with entries",
        "en:Mathematics"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1989, R. Ferro, Logic Colloquium '88, Elsevier Science, →ISBN, page 223:",
          "text": "The fact that we eventually reach a formulation free from logic (in terms of functional analysis) does not invalidate the use of logical tools: in fact the simplest way to prove termination (i.e. nilpotency) will always be standard logical manipulation, \"symbol pushing\"; but the existence of a model for this symbol pushing obviously brings in new methods, insights, etc.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2015, The Oxford Handbook of Perceptual Organization, Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 47:",
          "text": "Other mathematicians abhor visual proofs and only recognize 'symbol pushing'. Ideally, that would lead to a mathematics that would be fully independent of the human mind, and be simply the (uninterpreted!) output of a Turing machine.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2021, Paul J. Nahin, How to Fall Slower Than Gravity, Princeton University Press, →ISBN, page 129:",
          "text": "Now, before going any further, and to help convince you that this isn't all just \"symbol pushing,\" let me show you an application of Fourier series that often occurs in mathematical physics.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The practice of solving mathematical problems by manipulating symbols (as in algebra) rather than through visual or intuitive understanding."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "mathematics",
          "mathematics"
        ],
        [
          "derogatory",
          "derogatory"
        ],
        [
          "solving",
          "solve"
        ],
        [
          "mathematical",
          "mathematical"
        ],
        [
          "problem",
          "problem"
        ],
        [
          "symbol",
          "symbol"
        ],
        [
          "algebra",
          "algebra"
        ],
        [
          "visual",
          "visual"
        ],
        [
          "intuitive",
          "intuitive"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(mathematics, somewhat derogatory) The practice of solving mathematical problems by manipulating symbols (as in algebra) rather than through visual or intuitive understanding."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "derogatory",
        "uncountable"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "mathematics",
        "sciences"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "symbol pushing"
}