Is Mathematics "discovered" Or "invented" By Humans? - an Astronomy Net God & Science Forum Message

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Is Mathematics "discovered" Or "invented" By Humans?

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Posted by Jason Nevins on July 16, 2003 23:04:22 UTC

I've been having a discussion with a friend and this problem came up.

While mathematics seems to require sentient beings, does the mathematical relation "2+2=4" continue to be true if no one was around to perform the computation?

Does mathematics exist independent of humanity or does it exist entirely in our heads?

Any input would be appreciated.

Follow Ups:

Define "appreciated" - carefuluniverse - July 17, 2003 - 00:09 UTC
- Define the word 'define' - harvey1 - July 17, 2003 - 02:36 UTC
  - Define: dere's tree lebels: debad, degood and define - sillyuniverse - July 17, 2003 - 03:30 UTC
Mathematics is eternal - yanniru - July 17, 2003 - 00:48 UTC
- One, Two, Three - robertgregory - July 17, 2003 - 06:38 UTC
  - Yes - yanniru - July 17, 2003 - 11:21 UTC
Mathematics is invented - harvey1 - July 17, 2003 - 01:28 UTC
- Not correct - mikelev - July 17, 2003 - 13:27 UTC
  - Let's discuss this - harvey1 - July 17, 2003 - 14:15 UTC
    - Sure - mikelev - July 17, 2003 - 14:59 UTC
      - Getting to the truth - harvey1 - July 17, 2003 - 15:32 UTC
        
        math = truth - mikelev - July 17, 2003 - 15:58 UTC
        
        more on T - harvey1 - July 17, 2003 - 18:37 UTC
        
        or, in other words... - sillyuniverse - July 17, 2003 - 19:02 UTC
        
        Definitions and axioms... - smartguy - July 17, 2003 - 19:05 UTC
        
        Too complicated - mikelev - July 17, 2003 - 19:36 UTC
        
        Anonymous "Mike" writes... - smartguy - July 17, 2003 - 19:44 UTC
        
        ??? - mikelev - July 17, 2003 - 19:56 UTC
        
        You weren't supposed to... - smartguy - July 18, 2003 - 01:36 UTC
        
        Sorry, Mark; your insult only labels yourself as a quack! - carefuluniverse - July 18, 2003 - 02:53 UTC
        
        I'm a savage to be taught by "white man"? - smartguy - July 18, 2003 - 04:16 UTC
        
        Wow that post was confusing.... - carefuluniverse - July 18, 2003 - 04:49 UTC
        
        Who are the Brain Police? - sillyuniverse - July 18, 2003 - 03:14 UTC
        
        Mike I like you... - smartguy - July 18, 2003 - 04:56 UTC
        
        I think consensus opinion should not be cited - carefuluniverse - July 18, 2003 - 05:07 UTC
        
        I'm a contributory component of said consensus... - smartguy - July 18, 2003 - 05:16 UTC
        
        arf arf ....arf arf ....arf arf arf.....hee haw..hee haw.... - kantolfir2 - July 18, 2003 - 06:29 UTC
        
        Simple sentence - harvey1 - July 17, 2003 - 20:18 UTC
        
        Your sentence is un-moo - mikelev - July 18, 2003 - 13:22 UTC
        
        Correction...(?) - smartguy - July 18, 2003 - 19:11 UTC
        
        I concur - harvey1 - July 18, 2003 - 21:16 UTC
        
        Un-moo? - harvey1 - July 18, 2003 - 21:00 UTC
        
        A definition of mathematical truth - harvey1 - July 19, 2003 - 14:32 UTC
        
        eternal life - dolphin - July 20, 2003 - 12:13 UTC
        
        Good grief - harvey1 - July 20, 2003 - 14:50 UTC
        
        Alan, he'll do it! He can also remove posts! - quiet - July 20, 2003 - 15:20 UTC
        
        explanation - dolphin - July 20, 2003 - 16:34 UTC
        
        Another explanation - harvey1 - July 21, 2003 - 02:42 UTC
        
        I can explain - dolphin - July 21, 2003 - 05:31 UTC
        
        Not an answer - harvey1 - July 21, 2003 - 11:41 UTC
        
        A car at an intersection - dolphin - July 23, 2003 - 07:55 UTC
        
        math-world - dolphin - July 20, 2003 - 17:10 UTC
        
        Let's not get carried away - harvey1 - July 21, 2003 - 04:02 UTC
        
        Recognized names in the field of philosophy - quiet - July 21, 2003 - 04:43 UTC
        
        definition and meeting - dolphin - July 21, 2003 - 05:21 UTC
        
        Why no reply? - harvey1 - July 21, 2003 - 11:47 UTC
        
        reply part one - dolphin - July 22, 2003 - 08:52 UTC
        
        reply part two - dolphin - July 22, 2003 - 09:41 UTC
        
        reply part three - dolphin - July 23, 2003 - 07:04 UTC
  - Math and Universe - eventhorizen - July 17, 2003 - 16:18 UTC
    - What universe? - mikelev - July 17, 2003 - 16:26 UTC
      - universe - eventhorizen - July 17, 2003 - 16:46 UTC
        
        Math is the science of nothingness - mikelev - July 17, 2003 - 17:30 UTC
        
        universe and man - eventhorizen - July 17, 2003 - 18:29 UTC
        
        free association - dolphin - July 20, 2003 - 12:34 UTC
      - Mike I disagree... - smartguy - July 17, 2003 - 18:16 UTC
        
        It's not that simple - mikelev - July 17, 2003 - 19:14 UTC
        
        comments - dolphin - July 20, 2003 - 13:47 UTC
        
        Comments - mikelev - July 21, 2003 - 16:06 UTC
        
        they exist - dolphin - July 23, 2003 - 07:10 UTC
        
        No horse is a 'horse' - mikelev - July 23, 2003 - 14:21 UTC
        
        "meeting" as ultimate definition... - dolphin - July 23, 2003 - 21:29 UTC
        
        Sure, why not? - mikelev - July 24, 2003 - 14:30 UTC
        
        convention? - dolphin - July 25, 2003 - 06:52 UTC
        
        Language - mikelev - July 25, 2003 - 13:14 UTC
        
        Please be specific.... - dolphin - July 27, 2003 - 05:46 UTC
Eternal answers wait for invented questions - kantolfir2 - July 17, 2003 - 02:19 UTC
Ask yourself, you already know there's no answer - mikelev - July 17, 2003 - 13:19 UTC
- Here's the problem... - harvey1 - July 17, 2003 - 14:33 UTC
  - On knowledge - mikelev - July 17, 2003 - 14:47 UTC
- Rational thought is Welcome - doctordick - July 18, 2003 - 00:08 UTC
  - LOL - harvey1 - July 18, 2003 - 01:41 UTC
  - Doctor Dick, you were my Igor ! - sillyuniverse - July 18, 2003 - 01:43 UTC
- michael levine: "What you have to understand" - sillyuniverse - July 18, 2003 - 02:00 UTC
Interesting question... - lysithea - July 17, 2003 - 14:23 UTC
- Perhaps - harvey1 - July 17, 2003 - 20:32 UTC
  - Science meets magic - smartguy - July 18, 2003 - 01:49 UTC

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