From Osher Doctorow

Two examples of the trends that I've been explaining in
this thread have just come out on Front for the Mathematics
ArXiv: "Lie algebra without algebra," by S. K. Donaldson
of Imperial College London U.K., and "Factorials as sums,"
by Roberto Auglani, U. degli Studi di Bari Italy, respectively
math.DG/0702016 v1 1 Feb 2007, 17 pages, and math.HO
/0702010 v1 Feb 2007.

To make a long story short, Donaldson derives most of
Lie algebra/groups from geometry, while Auglani derives
factorials (which are products found in almost every
branch of physics and mathematics) from sums including
sums with "observable in a generalized sense" interpreta-
tion and specification, that is to say for Auglani selecting
r objects from n = r objects (Combinatorics), etc.

Incidentally, somebody calling himself/herself/itself "Uncle
Al" posted a reply to my previous Section. If Uncle Al has
returned to sci.physics after an extended absence, then
he can wait for me for at least as long to reply (especially
after the language that he used to use in replying to
readers). If, as I suspect, the poster is an imitation "Uncle
Al" from somewhere like nospam dot com, then my not
replying will be equally valid.

Osher Doctorow