(urth) barrington interview
Lee
severiansola at hotmail.com
Wed Oct 8 07:57:02 PDT 2014
>Thomas Bitterman: Is there an argument against the universality of mathematics
>that isn't just the Genetic Fallacy?
By Genetic Fallacy I assume you mean this:
>The genetic fallacy, also known as fallacy of origins, fallacy of virtue,[1]
>Is a fallacy of irrelevance where a conclusion is suggested based solely on
>something or someone's origin rather than its current meaning or context
My objection to the assumption that math is universally applicable is because
math originates from the mind of one species on one planet in a very small
corner of one galaxy in a universe of a (perhaps) infinite number of galaxies.
As I understand it, the Genetic Fallacy would apply if math had been found outside
that original context. For example, if we found math being used by members of
another species from outside our solar system or galaxy. Or if we had travelled
to all corners of the universe and found math applicable everywhere, not just
from the perspective of planet earth.
But currently (as far as I know) math is used only by that one species on that
one planet.
I wouldn't claim it is impossible for math to be universal. I would only say that it
seems unlikely to me. The fact that everything we encounter can be described
mathematically seems most likely due to human limitations on what we are able
to encounter.
In other words, we simply can't see what we can't see. The assumption of a cosmic
universality to our mammalian-evolved perceptions and thoughts seems unfounded
to me.
Of course, if we are talking Special Creation and math as a special mastery for
understanding the universe, as bestowed upon us by God, then that's a different story.
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