Re: Science, Philosophy, Mysticism, Art, Mathematics, and Physics

From: Wolf Kirchmeir (wwolfkir_at_sympatico.ca)
Date: 12/18/04 

Date: Sat, 18 Dec 2004 10:53:03 -0500

Albert wrote:
> Wolf Kirchmeir wrote:
>
>> Tom Kirke wrote:
>>
>>>> The "calculations", as you call them, _are_ the explanations.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I once had a Physics Prof announce that "In Physics meaning has no
>>> meaning, the only thing that matters is whether we can manipulate the
>>> formalisms".
>>>
>>> I'm not sure what this contributes to the thread, but it's
>>> an interesting quote.
>>>
>>> Dark skies,
>>>
>>> tom
>>>
>>
>> He was right.
>>
>> But of course the really odd thing is that those manipulated
>> formalisms somehow refer to the real world....
>
>
> Somehow? LOL. Well, sometimes they do and sometimes they don't. That
> area between mathematics and the real world that you refer to as
> 'somehow' I assume defines where your faith comes into play.

To quote you:

"Damn, Albert, read for comprehension."

"Somehow" does not deny "sometimes they do and sometimes they don't."
The issue is, why do they refer to the real world at all, not what
proportion does so.

Though it is odd, isn't it, that so much math that began as "pure"
manipulation of the formalisms turned out and still turns out to be
applicable to the real world.

I guess I must be on your bad-guy list, since you react with foaming
mouth and irrelevant comments to just about everything I say - even when
I make a point that doesn't disagree with you.

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