I mean, math is invented in the same sense fridges are invented. Is there a space of designs, search over which, some search process could stumble upon and therefore “discover” a fridge design? Sure. But at that point, we call this invention.
I think there’s a significant difference of scale between a fridge and Mathematics.
Math is a set of rules and concepts we apply to itself in order to perpetually generate new rules and concepts.
A fridge is just an icebox.
Now if you created a series of rules and concepts around the fridge, then yes I would grant you they are similar.
The difference is is the social relationship humans have to the object. Math has a social relationship consisting of specific formalisms. A fridge has no such social relationship. It’s just where we humans like to keep the ice-cream.
I mean, math is invented in the same sense fridges are invented. Is there a space of designs, search over which, some search process could stumble upon and therefore “discover” a fridge design? Sure. But at that point, we call this invention.
I think there’s a significant difference of scale between a fridge and Mathematics.
Math is a set of rules and concepts we apply to itself in order to perpetually generate new rules and concepts.
A fridge is just an icebox.
Now if you created a series of rules and concepts around the fridge, then yes I would grant you they are similar.
The difference is is the social relationship humans have to the object. Math has a social relationship consisting of specific formalisms. A fridge has no such social relationship. It’s just where we humans like to keep the ice-cream.
Aspects of math which are shaped by humans and not math’s structure is what my post is about.