Posted by Patrick Coryell on February 09, 19100 at 21:50:16:

In Reply to: Re: Status of math posted by Bill Chambers on September 30, 1998 at 10:12:23:

: : Does anyone have any ideas on whether mathematics is something discovered or invented? Plato, obviously, went for the former option, Wittgenstein for the latter. What do you think? (Can the question even be answered in this form? And what would the status of the answer be? Would it have anything to do with math - or only to do with the English language?)

: : I'm not a mathematician but I'm interested,

: : James.

: James,

: In a way you are asking if we can use scientific investigation with math.
: The answer is yes!
: We can do experiments on numbers and discover new properties
: that have never been considered before. Mathematics concerns
: a real world of intellectual objects. It is true that the
: umptions of math must be embraced by individuals but when
: they do so, they can discover and invent universal truths (that
: are bounded by the rules and implications of their umptions).
: So yes, we can discover new things and some of these discoveries
: are our inventions.

: Bill
:

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: : : Does anyone have any ideas on whether mathematics is something discovered or invented? Plato, obviously, went for the former option, Wittgenstein for the latter. What do you think? (Can the question even be answered in this form? And what would the status of the answer be? Would it have anything to do with math - or only to do with the English language?) : : : I'm not a mathematician but I'm interested, : : : James. : : James, : : In a way you are asking if we can use scientific investigation with math. : : The answer is yes! : : We can do experiments on numbers and discover new properties : : that have never been considered before. Mathematics concerns : : a real world of intellectual objects. It is true that the : : umptions of math must be embraced by individuals but when : : they do so, they can discover and invent universal truths (that : : are bounded by the rules and implications of their umptions). : : So yes, we can discover new things and some of these discoveries : : are our inventions. : : Bill : :

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