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Originally Posted by Edge
We all know how important math is on the world, not arguing that. However, there are people that think that we discovered the laws of math, while others say that we created them (kinda like a language). There is also debate about if it's really a science or not? So, what do you think?
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This question is easy to answer with a thought experiment.
Pretend that there is another inhabited planet in another galaxy, say that big one in the constellation Andromeda. The people
on this planet get tired of making stone arrow points and turn their thoughts to more abstract subjects. Like 'lines' and 'triangles' and 'circles'. A million planetary rotations later, they have 'higher mathematics'.
Now, is it the SAME mathematics that WE have? Ignore the irrelevant details, like we use 'X' but they use '@', we use '=' and they use '}'. Is it the SAME math?
The answer has to be YES. Math will work the same for them. The relationships they discover will be the same relationships we have discovered. The applications of math to the physical world will be the same applications that we have used.
Therefore, mathematics is NOT an 'invented' concept. It is universal, and therefore 'discovered'.
