> >From: "Wade T. Smith" <morbius@user1.channel1.com>
> >Date: Wed, 5 Feb 97 19:11:50 -0500
> >Subject: Re: virus: Discoveries and Inventions
[CLIP]
> >>Is mathematics a less ambigious invention than poetry?
> >
> >Interesting question. I am wont to say that they are separate but equal
> >facets of expression, in the traditional way of both supplying their own
> >truths, but in this memetic context, I would say poetry is far more
> >ambiguous- it uses far more memetic structures.
> >
> >I would even be wont to say that mathematics is the most anti-memetic of
> >human inventions.... And as such, may be the truest.
>
> Now, that is interesting. I would say that mathematics is the most
> obviously memetic of human inventions. Why do you think it is
> anti-memetic? I'm unsure of how you are defining "true". Mathematics is
> certianly useful and fruitful.
I understand Wade's comment [whether I agree with it or not is another
thing....]. Many memetically/physically different phenomena have
identical mathematical formulations [a classic example is emulating
spring-mass systems with electrical circuitry, and vice versa. I once
ended up listening to one of my professors wander off on how one could
*measure* 900 math using a few multimeters, some magnets, and some
electricity.]
Mathematics is one of the few "purely nonphysical" fields where one can
be objectively in error.
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/ Towards the conversion of data into information....
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/ Kenneth Boyd
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