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To: Logophile
Is mathematical truth discovered, or is it constructed?

Apparently, you would agree with those who say that mathematics exists to be discovered: in fact, mathematical truth is more fundamental than reality!

Look carefully at your language and mine: you are using "mathematics" to mean two separate things. I say mathematical truth is discovered, and mathematical formalism is constructed.

Mathematical truth is more fundamental, because our reality is only one of an infinite number of potential realities, but there is only one set of mathematical truth, and it is common to them all.

70 posted on 12/06/2001 1:26:44 PM PST by Physicist
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To: Physicist
I say mathematical truth is discovered, and mathematical formalism is constructed. Mathematical truth is more fundamental, because our reality is only one of an infinite number of potential realities, but there is only one set of mathematical truth, and it is common to them all.

I agree with the first part of what you say, but that mathematical truth would be common to ALL potential realities made me pause. Why should that be? There can of course be different algebras and different geometries. Or by mathematical truth do you mean some sort of meta-truth of which the truths of particular universes would be subsets?

75 posted on 12/06/2001 1:42:25 PM PST by malakhi
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To: Physicist
Look carefully at your language and mine: you are using "mathematics" to mean two separate things. I say mathematical truth is discovered, and mathematical formalism is constructed.

I was not aware of using mathematics that way. Indeed, I am not sure what you mean. Can you give a (simple) example of the difference between mathematical truth and mathematical formalism?

Mathematical truth is more fundamental, because our reality is only one of an infinite number of potential realities, but there is only one set of mathematical truth, and it is common to them all.

That is quite a leap of faith, isn't it? Not that I have anything against faith, you understand. But how can we know that there are infinitely many potential realities but only one mathematical truth? (We seem to have wandered into the thickets of metaphysics, an adventure I am not prepared to undertake.)

77 posted on 12/06/2001 1:45:01 PM PST by Logophile
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