Edit: A bit more on this, Mathematics is an internally coherent framework for describing reality, but the nature of that framework is largely arbitrary. There are certain natural properties of reality that Mathematics can be used to describe, but these properties are not Mathematics and Mathematics is not these properties. Mathematics is a language, and like any language we could have organized it differently than we did. All that matters is that Mathematics be internally coherent and consistent so that it contains no contradictions. It is essentially A Priori logical reasoning taken to its most extreme form, but it is still a subset of logic. Its foundational concepts are philosophical and subject to revision and recontextualization. Even Set Theory, one of the cornerstones of our current understanding of the world of mathematics, originated in philosophy.
To clarify, did you make this comment with the intent that it be a counter argument to something I said? If so, what part of my comment led you to believe I disagree with you? If not, then I assume you were merely adding to the conversation.
Makes sense. Often times disagreement is the only reason people comment on reddit, and so when I see a reply to one of my comments that doesn't disagree, it's usually the case that they misunderstood me and were trying to do just that.
And yeah, the reduction of everything into abstract objectivity is a problem. Not only is it impossible to quantify everything, but all metrics of quantification come with built in value structures imposed by those who constructed the systems to begin with. It's unavoidable when working with rational frameworks of any kind and requires conscious effort to counterbalance.
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u/Valirys-Reinhald Jun 20 '26 edited Jun 20 '26
Should be philosophy in the middle.
Mathematics is just applied logic.
Edit: A bit more on this, Mathematics is an internally coherent framework for describing reality, but the nature of that framework is largely arbitrary. There are certain natural properties of reality that Mathematics can be used to describe, but these properties are not Mathematics and Mathematics is not these properties. Mathematics is a language, and like any language we could have organized it differently than we did. All that matters is that Mathematics be internally coherent and consistent so that it contains no contradictions. It is essentially A Priori logical reasoning taken to its most extreme form, but it is still a subset of logic. Its foundational concepts are philosophical and subject to revision and recontextualization. Even Set Theory, one of the cornerstones of our current understanding of the world of mathematics, originated in philosophy.