Roger Penrose - Is Mathematics Invented or Discovered?

Mathematics describes the real world of atoms and acorns, stars and stairs, with remarkable precision. So is mathematics invented by humans just like chisels and hammers and pieces of music? Or is mathematics discovered—always out there, somewhere, like mysterious islands waiting to be found? Whatever mathematics is will help define reality itself.


Sir Roger Penrose is an English mathematical physicist, recreational mathematician and philosopher. He is the Emeritus Rouse Ball Professor of Mathematics at the Mathematical Institute of the University of Oxford, as well as an Emeritus Fellow of Wadham College.


Closer to Truth 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.

[CloserToTruthTV]

This interview is part of our Mathematics and Philosophy playlist series, created for Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month. Starting Monday, 4/20/20, we will be publishing two mathematics playlists of all-new, never-before-seen interviews with renowned mathematicians! If you can't wait, the "Is Mathematics Invented or Discovered?" playlist is already available (and freshly updated!) on CTT's channel.

[megamillionfreak]

We are immensely blessed to be living in an era where such minds are available for our casual consumption and for free.

[simonhallin]

When he talked about molecules and atoms, in the beginning, I thought, nice! A mathematician who seems comfortable in physics. Then I searched him up and found out he has a Nobel prize in physics. I guess he's more than comfortable.

[stellarwind]

It’s always a privilege to listen to the great mind of Sir Roger Penrose

[joemcfatter]

Dr. Kuhn, just to say your overall program and interviews are a gift to our world today. Thank you for creating and capturing all these wonderful discussions.

[Treador]

9:00 if you are wondering where the title question starts.

[LearningPulse]

Today he was awarded with Nobel prize.

[shadowfantasiesf]

This makes you wanna do math. I never in my life had a teacher, that had the same philosophical euphorism that these to convey. It's such an obvious thing you would need to convey, in order for a student to care about learning it and yet nobody does this.

[coder-x]

I wish… that as a kid, someone had described math to me in this way. That it’s something humanity discovered. It exists independent of us, it’s not all understood or discovered. And in order to predict how reality will play out, you need to understand math. It describes reality, past, present, and into the future.

[trajan]

Roger Penrose was awarded the Noble Prize for physics when he was 90 years old; That was an astounding achievement. I am in my early 70s, I can only tell you younger people that to be able to think clearly an and creatively at that age is truly astounding.

[thecoton]

Mathematics is just reverse engineering the source code of the Universe.

[Jacob-jgcd]

Access to conversations like this are magnificent to have available online.

[jaydeeppatil]

Amazing interviewer.Asks pricise questions and let the guest speak without interrupting.rare quality in today's interviewers.

[soggy]

The amazing part is how someone so intelligent can describe things so incredibly well that everyone can follow along.

[eduardo]

He answered the question with more questions. A wise man

[CJ-gnqm]

As a protagonist in engineering for more than 40 years I still get bamboozled by the depth of maths and it’s relation to physics! (This was by far and away my favourite subject through high school) I recognise that this work is vitally important for human development but there is a point at which we have to make sensible decisions that mean we can develop in a cost effective and acceptably safe way! There is somewhat of a philosophical position to take!

[jamessykes]

"Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas."
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A.E

[eeven]

Remember hearing a great story. I hope I can tell it right. A mathematician walks into his colleagues office to find him reclined in his chair practically motionless with his eyes closed and then slowly steps back out saying “I am sorry I did not know you were working.”

[cassiuscramos]

Delightful interview to listen to.
I had to watch it many times, because at many points my mind went far away thinking about what they'd just said.
Very good!

[jackmermigas]

What a glorious conversation! In regards to a simple equation being responsible for producing the mandlebrot set, I wonder what sort of equations are involved in producing the seemingly impossible visual shapes we can witness in a DMT breakthrough.