Re: Epistemology 201: The Science of Science

From: Jason (jasonstevensNOSPAM_at_free.net.nz)
Date: 01/24/05 

Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2005 11:29:21 +1300

> > Some might also vouchsafe that mathematics is a
> > scientific discipline
>
> Bull***. Mathematics has no empirical falsification. Mathematics is
> not a science.

Hey, who holds the heavenly taxonomy here? Catholic rank please.

Maybe you are right, that maths isn't science, whatever "science" means. Maybe
it is art, whatever that is. Maybe maths is just maths... but then again maybe
it isn't. Let the people Know the answers cast the first insult.

Some people say maths isn't a science because it is not empirical, as if
empiricism is the necessary condition to wear the reverent name "science". If
this is the case, Maths can be let into the faith. They proved the four colour
map problem by empirical means didn't they? How are primes found? Chaitin
suggests that maths needs to be quasi-empirical because they've run into the
limits of prediction.

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