Math

What is Math? 

People understand the concept of science. They may be wildly wrong about the details or how it’s done or even the underlying philosophy, but they can still describe what it is. Something in the realm of experimentation and theory or observations. Can you describe math in a similar fashion? 

On the one hand, it’s absolutely simple and obvious: one plus one equals two. There isn’t another possible answer, it just is. On the other hand, you have complex mathematics with irrational, infinite and imaginary numbers. You can hold one apple, it’s a lot harder to hold infinite apples, let alone conceive of what that could look like. And this is what makes so many people turn away from Math. It sounds like a completely made up game, where you juggle symbols and numbers without any reality behind them. And on top of that, the game isn’t even fun, so why play! 

The problem here is a misunderstanding of what that simple reality of mathematics is. See, holding an apple and saying “this is one”, is only kinda true. “One” is a concept, “one” is not a thing that exists. It is an idea that helps us understand our world. That’s all math is, a way to make sense of how things are in the universe. The numbers and the symbols Don’t exist, they’re merely useful concepts. “Imaginary Numbers” are just as imaginary as every “Real Number” because we made both of them up. 

This goes far beyond mathematics. Every concept of how the world works, whether it be science, math, religion or philosophy Is conceptual. It’s an idea, made up by humans. Whatever Truth really exists, is one all encompassing, singular thing; it is the universe itself. It can’t be broken down and it is entirely incomprehensible to humans (or any other thinking creature contained within the universe). 

Every system that forms a worldview is an attempt to explain the same thing: reality. Science is like Math is like Religion. That being said, certain models of the inverse are more useful than others. I find science and math have produced substantially better results than the others, but what I consider important may be different from what you do. I’m a fan of communication, transportation and easier access to biological necessities. I know these aren’t universal values. 

So pick the system you think is the most useful and don’t be a prick cause someone else chose different from you. 

And give math another shot for me.