You are not logged in.
#1 2013-03-10 01:49:22
- Nehushtan
- Power Member
Offline
Was mathematics invented or discovered?
This is a question I’ve seen on at least two other forums. I did a search here but couldn’t find any thread on this topic so I thought I’d start one.
Was mathematics invented or discovered?
My humble opinion is that mathematical truths and ideas were discovered, but the tools and equipment we use to study them were invented. As an example, take this statement: 1 + 2 = 3. My belief is that the truth behind the equation was discovered, but the symbols “1”, “+”, “2”, “=” and “3” were invented.
Any thoughts? 
Holding on to anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.
#2 2013-03-10 01:52:31
- anonimnystefy
- Real Member
Offline
Re: Was mathematics invented or discovered?
I think all of it was only discovered. When I think of it now, everything that exists in this world was only discovered, even though we call some things inventions and not discoveries.
The limit operator is just an excuse for doing something you know you can't.
“It's the subject that nobody knows anything about that we can all talk about!” ― Richard Feynman
“A secret's worth depends on the people from whom it must be kept.” ― Carlos Ruiz Zafón
#3 2013-03-10 02:08:40
- bobbym
- Administrator
Online
Re: Was mathematics invented or discovered?
If you are a Platonist, you will believe it is discovered. The inference is that it exists in nature and therefore is incredibly deep and meaningful.
If you are a Formalist, you will believe that it is an invention of man like a game such as chess. It has rules and is logical but it is artificial.
Last edited by bobbym (2013-03-10 02:10:37)
In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
90% of mathematicians do not understand 90% of currently published mathematics.
I am willing to wager that over 75% of the new words that appeared were nothing more than spelling errors that caught on.
#4 2013-03-10 02:18:05
- Nehushtan
- Power Member
Offline
Re: Was mathematics invented or discovered?
Well, something was invented if it hadn’t existed before and was brought into existence by human agency; on the other hand it was discovered if it has always existed, even before humans were aware of it.
Thus the natural numbers were discovered. They existed before the first humans were aware of them, and would have continued to exist if there had been no humans to be aware of them. But after discovering them, the humans needed a way to represent them concretely. The Romans came up with I, II, III, …, while the Chinese use 一, 二, 三, …. Our modern notation 1, 2, 3, …, was first used by the Indians – who could thus be said to have invented it. Similarly the arithmetical operation of addition and the relation of equality were discovered, while the symbols + and = were only first used in the 16th century by the Welsh mathematician Robert Recorde – and since he was the first to use them, we say can say that he invented them.
http://z13.invisionfree.com/SAKE/index. … wtopic=267
Last edited by Nehushtan (2013-03-18 11:43:54)
Holding on to anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.
#5 2013-03-10 19:42:43
- bob bundy
- Moderator
Offline
Re: Was mathematics invented or discovered?
hi
Nehushtan wrote:
My humble opinion is that mathematical truths and ideas were discovered, but the tools and equipment we use to study them were invented.
I'm happy with that. I might say that the tools and equipment are the axioms and the discoveries are the theorems. That works for me.
Bob
You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him find it within himself..........Galileo Galilei
#6 2013-03-10 19:50:48
- anonimnystefy
- Real Member
Offline
Re: Was mathematics invented or discovered?
But then you would be making a difference between a written word and number. They both always existed, someone just had to find them.
The limit operator is just an excuse for doing something you know you can't.
“It's the subject that nobody knows anything about that we can all talk about!” ― Richard Feynman
“A secret's worth depends on the people from whom it must be kept.” ― Carlos Ruiz Zafón
#7 2013-03-10 20:00:11
- bob bundy
- Moderator
Offline
Re: Was mathematics invented or discovered?
Six sheep can exist without humans having to be around at all. But calling that amount of sheep 'six' is a human invention. I thought I had established that all numbers are inventions.
Let's imagine a few seconds after the big bang. No intelligent life around. Where is the concept of number then?
Bob
You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him find it within himself..........Galileo Galilei
#8 2013-03-10 20:09:53
- anonimnystefy
- Real Member
Offline
Re: Was mathematics invented or discovered?
It is still there. Waiting and waiting for someone to discover it. Maybe nobody ever would and maybe someone will.
The limit operator is just an excuse for doing something you know you can't.
“It's the subject that nobody knows anything about that we can all talk about!” ― Richard Feynman
“A secret's worth depends on the people from whom it must be kept.” ― Carlos Ruiz Zafón
#9 2013-03-17 09:44:38
- n872yt3r
- Power Member
Offline
Re: Was mathematics invented or discovered?
I think it was invented, because numbers don't exist. They are a placeholder we use for a certain amount. They're not exactly one thing, if they were, shape-shifting could exist, because numbers would be everywhere. They're sort of a principle.
- n872yt3r
Math Is Fun Rocks!
By the power of the exponent, I square and cube you!
#10 2013-03-22 01:51:18
- digits
- Novice
Offline
Re: Was mathematics invented or discovered?
Mathematics is an artifact of the human mind, and a tool whereby the human mind wraps itself around reality.
Cheers!
digits
#11 2013-04-21 04:45:28
- Mrwhy
- Full Member
Offline
Re: Was mathematics invented or discovered?
digits wrote:
Mathematics is an artifact of the human mind, and a tool whereby the human mind wraps itself around reality.
Cheers!
digits
Yes, exactly right, digits.
EVERYTHING we think and talk about - even you, digits.
The brain, we think (imagine?), receives things we call "sensory nerve signals".
This is the stuff from which the BRAIN dreams up the "world" and calls it "real" (in order to prolong its sanity!) The ones who thought the sabre tooth tiger "not real" got eaten.
If you doubt this, tell me how you know right now you are not dreaming!
#12 2013-04-26 20:21:24
- pellerinb
- Member
Offline
Re: Was mathematics invented or discovered?
n872yt3r wrote:
I think it was invented, because numbers don't exist. They are a placeholder we use for a certain amount. They're not exactly one thing, if they were, shape-shifting could exist, because numbers would be everywhere. They're sort of a principle.
The idea of a placeholder makes sense.
Objects counted any other way would still be just as numerical. The numerical quality itself perhaps comes with objects being physical. There might be 1 x 10^80 atoms in the physical universe ... it's an intrinsic quality/principle of the universe, we might say?
Prime numbers have got to be the neatest things; they are like atoms. Composites are two or more primes held together by multiplication.
In biology, we use math like we know what we are talking about. Sad isn't it.
#13 2013-04-26 21:29:16
- bobbym
- Administrator
Online
Re: Was mathematics invented or discovered?
Wasn't it Kronecker who said,"God invented the integers, all the rest is man's"
In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
90% of mathematicians do not understand 90% of currently published mathematics.
I am willing to wager that over 75% of the new words that appeared were nothing more than spelling errors that caught on.