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

by xeno6696 , Sonoran Desert, Monday, February 15, 2010, 03:19 (5176 days ago) @ George Jelliss
edited by unknown, Monday, February 15, 2010, 03:30

The Fibonacci sequence, and its variant the Lucas sequence, is essentially finite mathematics. Analysis only comes into it if you calculate the limit of the ratio of two successive numbers in the sequences, which is the golden ratio. All this means is that the successive ratios 3/2, 5/3, 8/5, 13/8 and so on are closer and closer approximations to the golden ratio, which is the irrational number (root-5 + 1)/2 = 1.61803.... Fibonacci ratios occur in nature in certain plants because of their regular process of growth. For me they have a greater "reality" than the golden ratio, which only has meaning in the fantasy world of infinitist mathematicians.
> 
> you wrote: "But the other two numbers found in nature I don't think can be as easily explained away as e or PI" which two numbers are you referring to? and why would I want to "explain them away"?-Well, the Mandelbrot set is a bit more than a single number, but you pretty much covered the rest. And there's nothing wrong in my world with "explaining away." It means I've got nothing to argue with, which kinda sucks from the fun perspective, but it is what it is. -I do hate that you dismiss pure math like that, 99% of computer science both exists because of and relies upon many of these "fantasy objects." Fibonacci relations by themselves are responsible for some of the best search algorithms--there's other "fantasy numbers" that I'm aware of that also enable modern communication. Stirling and Bell numbers, and to be direct, Euclidean groups are also responsible for a computer's ability to construct 3d objects.

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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.\"