Heh...tonight doesn't really fit the "Late Night" title, but when one is suffering from the common cold, one learns to make allowances (and also to go to bed early).
1. Dr. Priest indicated that math is SALT - a Science, Art, Language and Tool. Can you give examples of each?
Science: When any random student lays himself/herself down to sleep at night, is suddenly struck by a possible equation or explanation of a principle, then promptly sets about proving/testing it, you could call the situation a science of numbers.
When applied to the science field in general, math is all-important in measurements, calculations, and a firm base of dependable facts on which to draw hypothesis.
Art: Any well constructed proof has symmetry and efficiency. Art is usually best in its simplicity and (as Persig would term it) Quality... math is valued for the same characteristics. With patterns and repititions, symmetry and lines and structures, a good equation has a beauty in and of itself.
I have a special fondness for the perfection of mathematically precise shapes. Let's guess which is my favorite...
Language: Yes...math people don't speak in opinions...they speak in numbers and numbers in logical relations to one another (AKA equations). For example, an artist might describe a triangle in sharpness of angles or thickness of lines or aesthetic form. A mathematician would describe it in measurements of sides and angles, perhaps a nifty little phrase like "a^2 + b^2 = c^2," and explain how you can measure the circumference of the Earth with it.
Math can explain the why behind any occurrence in nature.
Tool: Math is a tool when used applicably, whether it be in baking measurements or physics. It just helps with procedure and credibility.
2. Dr. Priest indicated that he believes math to be discovered, not invented or created. What did he mean by this? Being that, as indicated in the reading, a lot of mathematics is applicable to things in the physical world, what are some conclusions that we can reach following Dr. Priest's line of thought?
The notation for math (our numeral system) is purely human; however, what we use it to describe (nature) has already been there all along. Every law we describe with numbers was in existence before the formula....we just finally found out how it worked.
Following that thread, we might say:
A) Nature follows specific laws (for the most part).
B) This means that nature has an intellegent design (God)...
C) ...that we can somehow understand when all the other creatures of Earth cannot (again, God).
3. Do we place too much value on statistics?
Yes, we place too much value on statistics, especially majority polls of people's opinions. History goes to show that sometimes humanity can be really stupid en masse. Just read An Enemy of the People.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment