Calvin on mathematics

[struggle4progress]

http://assets.amuniversal.com/bef6db1025d1012ea5cb00163e41dd5b

[Brettongarcia]

1. John Stuart Mill and others, said math was originally empirical

You can take two oranges, and add two more. And see there are four. We tend to forget that though, when working just with numbers in our heads.

Today it is an abstract system, that can be done entirely without empirical observation. Its a field that is very different from say, biology. Which depends hugely on looking at physical things.

So in some ways, math is very different from the sciences. And is an abstract mental system. And it is so entirely separated from worldly experience, that it feels a little monkish.

I guess we shouldn't be me so surprised to see a priest like LeMaitre, coming up with big bang theory and Hubble's constant before Hubble himself. Though Einstein said he liked his math, but complained LeMaitre's physics was terrible.

Certain phenomenology approaches could begin to re-link experience to logic, and math, I guess.

My school buddy does programming for the space station though; I guess when you see the numbers make something fly, that's a kind of empirical proof too.

[catnhatnh]

2. In a similar vein I worked as a mechanic...

and then later changed to a position working on electric motors. I often complain that while I could observe a piston, valve, or bearing no one would show me a volt, ohm, or amp... But if I calculated correctly I could change the voltage, speed or horsepower in a motor....

[classof56]

3. Well, my Calvinist grandpappy used to refer to "Ten-in-a-bed Baptists"

By which he meant, those who were so narrow they could fit ten in a bed.

Grandpappy also firmily believed, like Calvin, that certain people were chosen to be saved, and those that weren't were doomed to eternal damnation, no matter how much they might wish to join the fold. Needless to say, grandpa was mighty glad everyone in his family was among the chosen. I'm thinking grandpappy was pretty conflicted.

As a now-atheist, I like this cartoon. Thanks for posting.

[stone space]

4. There's an old joke about reductionism and...well...job dissatisfaction, I suppose.

Sociologists really want to be psychologists.

Psychologists really want to be biologists.

Biologists really want to be chemists.

Chemists really want to be Physicists.

Physicists really want to be God.
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And God really wants to be a mathematician.