Is Math a Feature of the Universe or a Feature of Human Creation?
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2. Pyranthos commented 11 years ago
I say math exists on its own outside of the human mind. Its too consistent across the board, and far too accurate on proven formulas to be merely a construct of our brains.
Sure, the human mind is amazing, but that which exists all follows the calculations of math far too accurately for it to be a mere creation of our minds, in attempt to interpret the universe.
If math were nothing more than a construct of our minds, I find it hard to believe we would have been able to fly aircraft, go to the moon, make computers or anything else. IMO, math is to the universe what the ink in a book is to that story. Without it, there is no story. And like that ink, math is used to tell the story of that which exists.
On a final note, Chemistry, Physics and the like, all rely heavily on Math themselves, for they are just different "stories" of our universe and the how/why of its functions and features.
Sure, the human mind is amazing, but that which exists all follows the calculations of math far too accurately for it to be a mere creation of our minds, in attempt to interpret the universe.
If math were nothing more than a construct of our minds, I find it hard to believe we would have been able to fly aircraft, go to the moon, make computers or anything else. IMO, math is to the universe what the ink in a book is to that story. Without it, there is no story. And like that ink, math is used to tell the story of that which exists.
On a final note, Chemistry, Physics and the like, all rely heavily on Math themselves, for they are just different "stories" of our universe and the how/why of its functions and features.
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4. mosfet23 commented 11 years ago
Math, Physics & Chemistry are just tools for modeling the way the world behaves. The world of course does not have to behave according to those models because they're a logical representation of something much more complex. All this video does is try to distract you from those simple truths, and it does a pretty crappy job of it.
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5. PuffPuff commented 11 years ago
I think the video is rather useless and does not accurately depict the entire image.
Saying math is fiction is like saying physics is also made up.
Of course it is the creation of the human mind but that does not mean is not real.
The first thing I learned about math in school is that it is a concord. An universal language that can be understood by all beyond the usual language barrier, depicting the beauty of our universe.
But anyway, watching this is like watching the History Channel. Prepare for the alien probes.
Saying math is fiction is like saying physics is also made up.
Of course it is the creation of the human mind but that does not mean is not real.
The first thing I learned about math in school is that it is a concord. An universal language that can be understood by all beyond the usual language barrier, depicting the beauty of our universe.
But anyway, watching this is like watching the History Channel. Prepare for the alien probes.
3
6. Bobdrakay commented 11 years ago
Robert May describes math as "the language of precision." That's why it's useful in the practice of science, and why its not so unreasonably effective as Wignerian voodoospeak makes it out to be. Shouldn't we expect greater precision in our descriptions to lead to greater accuracy in our understanding. To call math "fiction" is like calling English fiction. It's a category error.
Languages are "abstractions," not "fictions." There's a distinction. If some science doesn't belong on the non-fiction shelves, don't blame the language its written in.
Languages are "abstractions," not "fictions." There's a distinction. If some science doesn't belong on the non-fiction shelves, don't blame the language its written in.
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9. cameramaster commented 11 years ago
If a tree falls in a forest and there's nobody there to hear it, does it make a sound? If Math's didn't exist neither would anything else, if you cant describe something, how can it exist? The hell with it....I think therefore I am....I think.
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10. Zeusisgreat commented 11 years ago
math comes from the human brain observing the universe. .
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11. kekke2000 commented 11 years ago
This is the same stupid thought that a tree falling in the woods would not make a sound if nobody is around to hear it. Of course it will! Of course there is math! You don't just make up that the relations of spheres can be calculated with the help of pi. You find out.
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12. RetroGrade77 commented 11 years ago
#2 I am inclined to believe as you do that math does exist outside the mind and honestly I think this video over thinks the whole thing. Math exist as patterns of the natural world. They showed pictures of the golden ratio repeatedly as it exists in nature. The golden ratio can be clearly observed in a hurricane, in a snail shell, and in many other natural phenomenon. Those patterns are real and would exist even if humans did not observe them. It seems to me that math is coded into the universe. I feel that math is part of the basic instruction set for the universe.
+5 1. nokster commented 11 years ago
Well... billions = quantity = numbers = math! Is this a correct way of thinking?