Refutation of the \"Language-Only\" Interpretation of Math (The limitations of science)

by xeno6696 , Sonoran Desert, Wednesday, February 10, 2010, 21:41 (5398 days ago)

I've searched for some time for a layman's introduction to the world of *actual* mathematical study. Some time ago George attacked an assertion I made about a constant such as PI, citing Stenger's view that physics is simply a product of language and constants only fill a gap. My argument was (and still is) that constants such as PI actually have an exact mathematical value, the hard part is communicating that value to a person not inclined to math. (Most people hate fractions, but in math fractions are *exact* values.) You've all probably heard the term "an approximation of PI is 3.14159..." What is confusing to most people is that the approximation is called such because it is a decimal interpretation of PI and not the ACTUAL value of PI. Adding to the confusion is the fact that PI is actually a non-terminating sequence--most people don't understand what an infinite series is. -The follow article requires no math skill at all, and discusses the history of mathematical study in a way that I think will bring everyone on board with how I think about things. -http://www.thewaytotruth.org/science/mathematics.html-Though the propaganda near the end is a direct assertion of a deity (and the rest of the website is an odd commercial for Islam) the meat of the writing is actually how most mathematicians view their science.

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\"Why is it, Master, that ascetics fight with ascetics?\"

\"It is, brahmin, because of attachment to views, adherence to views, fixation on views, addiction to views, obsession with views, holding firmly to views that ascetics fight with ascetics.\"