🚀 go-pugleaf

mmeron@cars3.uchicago.edu wrote:
> "physicsboy" <leocurbelojr@gmail.com> writes:
> >I appreciate all your posts very much. Even though I may have
> >differences of opinion with some of you I cannot deny that there
> >is truth to your assertions. Do you guys think that every theory
> >that attempts to explain any physical phenomena (GR, Quantum, etc)
> >must be described mathematically? Meaning that it would have to be
> >expressed in mathematical terms. Or would some theories need to be
> >presented as ideas only where no mathematical meaning has been
> >determined?
> >
> If we're already at this, how about eliminating the use of language
> to present ideas.  Obviously, ideas should stand on their own, not
> require a man-made language to convey them, right?:-)  So lets limit
> ourselves to ideas which can be conveyed by grunts and gestures
> alone.
> But wait, that too is a language, albeit limited.  So it doesn't
> seem we can give up on language.
>
> Now, we've a field of human activity where ideas are generated and
> conveyed using spoken and written non-mathematical language, namely
> philosphy.  And, while I wouldn't call it useless, yet it is
> difficult to discern some progress in this field.  Why?  Because
> there is good way to separate the working ideas from the
> non-working ones.  In fact there is even no good way to define
> what the terms 'working" and "non-working" mean, with respect to
> ideas.  So, we're limited to popularity contests.  That doesn't get
> you far.
>
> The reason we can make some progress in science is that we do have
> a way of defining working and non-working ideas and separating the
> working ones from the rest.  This is done by comparison with
> measurements.  But in order to do so we need to formulate our ideas
> in a language which allows for the generation of precise predictions
> and for the comparison of said predictions with the results of the
> measurements.  And this language is math.  What else would you use?

What ELSE indeed, but CLEAN & ELEGANT arithmetic.!!

                          brian a m stuckless
  >><> >><> >><> >><> >><>

> Mati Meron                | "When you argue with a fool,
> meron@cars.uchicago.edu   |  chances are he is doing just the same".