Euclid's Theorem of Infinite Prime Numbers The Explicit Formula - after 2,000 years
Abstract
Euclid’s classical theorem is traditionally stated as asserting the infinitude of prime numbers. We show that the logical content of Euclid’s argument is more precisely formulated as a structural admissibility result: no finite admissible closure exists for the arithmetic of primes. The proof does not rely on set-theoretic notions of infinity, density, or asymptotic distribution. Instead, it establishes that any finite attempt at admissible closure is obstructed by a canonical extension operation. This reformulation isolates the constructive core of Euclid’s argument and aligns it with modern obstruction- based reasoning while remaining fully faithful to the original proof. No new arithmetic theorem is claimed; the contribution is a structural reformulation isolating the obstruction logic implicit in Euclid’s proof.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Analytic Number Theory Research
Advanced Topology and Set Theory
History and Theory of Mathematics
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
- Publication date
- 27 January 2026