MugaSofer comments on Math is Subjunctively Objective - Less Wrong

14 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 25 July 2008 11:06AM

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Comment author: Yosarian2 01 January 2013 03:56:42AM 0 points [-]

It's possible that they are not, but it seems like there's more to the question that that.

I guess what I would say is "is math a fundamental property of the universe, like the laws of physcis, or is it a useful and consistent tool that only exists in our mind, like morality?"

You would probably have to break it down further then that. Pythagorean theorem clearly seems to be a property of the real world, as does pi, and geometry in general. Once you get to more abstract math, though, it becomes less clear to me if you are describing something fundamental or merely manipulating symbols.

Comment author: MugaSofer 01 January 2013 01:50:03PM *  0 points [-]

a fundamental property of the universe, like the laws of physcis, or is it a useful and consistent tool that only exists in our mind

Ultimately, while there is a useful distinction to be made here, I'm not sure this is the way to make it; most (all?) of what we call "laws of physics" are actually surface behaviors of more complex systems; models, ultimately, of the emergent behavior of a mathematically simpler yet chaotic and computationally dense reality. Which, when investigated, may prove less fundamental rules but rather guidelines to understanding the results of a truth you don't yet fully comprehend, and perhaps couldn't model if you did.