Nature of Math

[DarkRange55]

I just wanted to clear this up.

Applied math is empirical, but much of the broader field rests on unproven axioms. The function of applied mathematics does exist independently of the human mind, the study of mathematics does not (taking 'human mind' to mean 'intelligence', including alien or advanced artificial).

The speed of light being constant was measured to high accuracy before Einstein, as was the equivalence of gravity and acceleration.
Einstein's thought experiment then assumed that these were true to any accuracy, and figured out where that path led.

Some measurement units, such as the speed of light or the mass of a proton, are not arbitrary. However measurements made in the metric system certainly are based on arbitrary human constructs. Cosmic laws such as the speed of light remaining cost to all observers seem to be valid throughout the universe, but we really don't know yet if that was true in the earliest seconds.

 

[Redacted24]

Hmmm. Seems to me that pretty much all of our maths are based on Euclidean concepts, but if the universe is, in effect, curved, then while it still works accurately enough on a small scale when the models try to explain more universal concepts we should be using something more like a Lobachevskiian (or some other) non-Euclidian one for more accuracy.
Thanks for the interesting post!

 

[Asgardus]

Man, math always been trash to me Ain't no beauty in numbers, that's for nerds frfr math been useless since I left school, tht sh*t ain't payin no bills

 

[DarkRange55]

Hmmm. Seems to me that pretty much all of our maths are based on Euclidean concepts, but if the universe is, in effect, curved, then while it still works accurately enough on a small scale when the models try to explain more universal concepts we should be using something more like a Lobachevskiian (or some other) non-Euclidian one for more accuracy.
Thanks for the interesting post!

The universe appears to be close enough to flat that so far curvature only matters in discussing the birth or death of the universe.
But if we have dark energy or even dark matter sufficiently wrong, that appearance might be deceiving.

 

[Redacted24]

Well, yes, maybe. I'm just an amateur hack but it seems that the increasingly complex ways physicists use to model universal things with accuracy as our understanding grows is a sign that the initial modeling basis might be flawed.

Somehow in my mind I think the solution would be more... elegant?

Wish I knew more and had a deeper understanding. Alas not!
Thanks again for the interesting thread.

 

[Pluto]

The nature of meth.

 

[DarkRange55]

Well, yes, maybe. I'm just an amateur hack but it seems that the increasingly complex ways physicists use to model universal things with accuracy as our understanding grows is a sign that the initial modeling basis might be flawed.

Somehow in my mind I think the solution would be more... elegant?

Wish I knew more and had a deeper understanding. Alas not!
Thanks again for the interesting thread.

I agree.
But the universe is not necessarily governed by my taste...