Wendy L. Freedman - Is Mathematics Eternal?

Mathematics is like nothing else. The truths of math seem to be unrelated to anything else—independent of human beings, independent of the universe. The sum of 2 + 3 = 5 cannot be untrue; this means that 2 + 3 = 5 would be true even if there were never any human beings, even if there were never a universe! When then, deeply, is mathematics?



Wendy Laurel Freedman is a Canadian-American astronomer, best known for her measurement of the Hubble Constant, and as director of the Carnegie Observatories in Pasadena, California, and Las Campanas, Chile.


Closer to Truth, hosted by Robert Lawrence Kuhn and directed by Peter Getzels, presents the world’s greatest thinkers exploring humanity’s deepest questions. Discover fundamental issues of existence. Engage new and diverse ways of thinking. Appreciate intense debates. Share your own opinions. Seek your own answers.

[halleuz]

I don't think there's a mystery. Empirical data in physics will always be finite sets of rational numbers. For any finite set of rationals there are infinitely many nonequivalent rules of computation which produce those rationals. So one can always find a mathematical formalism which fits the available data. The conclusion seems inevitable: contrary to widely held beliefs, physics cannot find out how the world really is.

[pamyoung]

I love watching these videos. They are so educational

[richardsylvanus]

Where's the whole video?
There has to be more than this.

[ujjwalbhattarai]

By saying proof in mathematics nothing change in nature.

[Salv-ljkj]

She just repeated the by example what he said I'm principle. Did not answer the question "Is math eternal?"

[patmat.]

She didn't intetrested by the question, but it's ok.

[chayanbosu]

Mathmatics is the construction of human mind to measure various parameters and find out rules and regulations behind our universe or preciously say only higher concious being among all other species can think like this, now if Mathmatics is eternal then we may say not only we are also eternal but also there is a trancedental mind exists behind the Universe.

[blijebij]

What is mathematics based up on! Does it has a foundation? Yes it has! That foundation is not talked about.

[xtaticsr]

I imagine Math would be valid for any thing real or actual even if outside this universe.

[mykrahmaan]

First explain what a number represents in the surrounding.

Explain also whether "--" and "+" correspond to charges of numbers or operations on them.

These are two completely different concepts being MISINTERPRETED with the same symbols by the whole of mathematics (hence also by all other science) community on this earth.

This is one of the most fundamental reasons why we have accumulated a system of LAWS OF NATURE that apply to everything in the universe except natural phenomena.

Another important one being the assumption of the experimental and observational science that knowledge can be acquired without any purpose.

[-by-_Publishing_LLC]

(1:53) *WF: **_"The fact is that empirically we can go out and measure the universe, and the mathematics applies."_* ... Many marginalize mathematics by claiming it's merely an emergent property of a physical brain that helps us to better navigate our surroundings. This same marginalization is present with those who claim that the colors we see aren't real, but simply the brain's _interpretation_ of wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation. The same goes for those who reduce consciousness down to a benign manifestation of synaptic brain activity.

Interestingly, it takes a unique, self-aware *consciousness* to decide whether mathematics, color, and consciousness are merely the combined byproduct of benign brain activity, ... or represent something far greater than the individual pieces when combined.

[J.M_Sterken]

It depends.
As long as we use mathematics to measure out things you use to make stuf, or trying to find out how something works.
Because mathematics was "invented" to figure out how much we need of something to make anything. And to figure out how something works.
Did you know that by understanding the universe. We can use only the (+/-/×/÷/=) to invent anything.
P.s. and it's freaking awesome.❤💎❤

[mykrahmaan]

First explain what a number represents in the surrounding.

Explain also whether "--" and "+" correspond to charges of numbers or operations on them.

To put it in concrete words:

Explain how the positive charge of protons and the negative charge of electron COINCIDE with addition and subtraction, accordingly.

Until this is done, particle physics (with or without the standard model) as well as relativity have no physical meaning whatsoever.

These are two completely different concepts being MISINTERPRETED with the same symbol by the whole of mathematics (hence also by all other science) community on this earth.

This is one of the most fundamental reasons why we have accumulated a system of LAWS OF NATURE that apply to everything in the universe except natural phenomena.

Another important one being the assumption of the experimental and observational science that knowledge can be acquired without any purpose.

[ashtonmitch]

Who gives a 💩, right now we are bound and limited on everything anyways.

[RuneRelic]

Thats the difference between objective and subjective realms.
One is simple truth. One is ideology.
But that would be to distinguish tolerant approximations from levels of precision.
If the approximations/probabilities of the quantum realm is accepted, then there is no precision.
There is also extensive use of fudge factors to make approximations more accurate.
At what point does a seemingly accurate approximated model, equate to actual true reality ?
Can you ever measure accurately enough to distinguish between the two ?

[neelams_alchemy]

God has created everything in a specified measure, symmetry and proportion. Even the Day of Judgement is called the Day of Accounting. Maths is the language that is independent. Subhanallahi wa behamdeh

[annakarl]

Is mathematics Eternal. Even not.

[fadan]

islam solves this issue, abstract concepts like math, language, logical truths, are from Gods eternal knowledge, so from that aspect it is eternal (in Gods knowledge), the non eternal aspect of these is the creations relationship with these abstract concepts which God revealed/taught to us in time.

"Math" for space means nothing. Astronauts need to explore space. For one thing, we can create new math from space exploration. We're very limited right now. 2 + 2 doesn't do anything. Math is not a rocket ship. Rocket ships are very difficult to create. We need more than math to reach the Sun.

[catherinemoore]

It's like a secret code... Who's behind this code we call Mathematics?