EvC Forum: Is Mathematics a Science?

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Topic: Is Mathematics a Science?

lpetrich

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lpetrich Posts Only

Message 1 of 6 (31798)
02-09-2003 4:29 PM

That's a controversy that has been raging in another thread. I think that it is a science, others deny it. However, mathematics is not an empirical science, and it may be called a form of logic; that may be why some here do not think that it is a science.

Replies to this message:
	Message 2 by Percy, posted 02-09-2003 4:48 PM	lpetrich has not replied
	Message 4 by David unfamous, posted 02-10-2003 4:40 AM	lpetrich has not replied
	Message 5 by Brad McFall, posted 02-11-2003 12:49 PM	lpetrich has not replied
	Message 6 by Peter, posted 02-13-2003 8:46 AM	lpetrich has not replied

Percy

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Posts: 22479

From: New Hampshire

Joined: 12-23-2000

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Message 2 of 6 (31800)
02-09-2003 4:48 PM

Reply to: Message 1 by lpetrich
02-09-2003 4:29 PM

I don't think you could call it a controversy, and I'll give the same answer I gave in the other thread.

If you look up "science" in your dictionary you'll see that it has multiple definitions. When defining mathematics, the dictionary is using a different definition of science than the one that applies to physics, chemistry and biology. For mathematics, they're using this definition of science:

A branch of knowledge of study, esp. one concerned with establishing and systematizing facts [the science of mathematics]

In other words, they're using science in the sense of the science of cartography, or the science of military strategy, or computer science. For sciences like biology, physics, astronomy and so forth you want this definition:

Systematized knowledge derived from observation, study, and experimentation carried on in order to determine the nature or principles of what is being studied.

To clarify a bit more, sciences like physics, astronomy and biology possess the qualities of replicability and tentativity. Mathematics does not possess this latter quality.

What we traditionally call the sciences represent our efforts to understand the natural world through observation and experimentation. Mathematics is an abstraction that exists independent of any natural world.

Last, and probably least, if mathematics was a science it would be part of the science curriculum in schools and universities.

--Percy

This message is a reply to:
	Message 1 by lpetrich, posted 02-09-2003 4:29 PM		lpetrich has not replied

Dr Cresswell

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Message 3 of 6 (31802)
02-09-2003 4:57 PM

Both mathematics and theology (or sometimes, more generally, philosophy) have been called the "queen of science".

Not sure if that was relevant, just a random observation.

Alan

David unfamous

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Message 4 of 6 (31842)
02-10-2003 4:40 AM

Reply to: Message 1 by lpetrich
02-09-2003 4:29 PM

Unless one can theorise or experiment in mathmatics, I can't see it as a science.

Sure, it's used in science, but in the same way language is used - as a tool.

This message is a reply to:
	Message 1 by lpetrich, posted 02-09-2003 4:29 PM		lpetrich has not replied

Brad McFall

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Posts: 3428

From: Ithaca,NY, USA

Joined: 12-20-2001

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Message 5 of 6 (31953)
02-11-2003 12:49 PM

Reply to: Message 1 by lpetrich
02-09-2003 4:29 PM

If someone succeds in say counting grains of sand with transfinite numbers I would say that it would have become science as of yet it would only be scientific, metaphysically, as if I could actually pronounce such a word.