@prothero,
prothero;85087 wrote:An extremely useful tool, eh?
And life and mind are just accidental, chance or coincidental happenings in an indifferent universe, too, eh?
Look, the use of math in physics is in the formulation of the laws of nature, and the application of those laws to practical problems. Take the simple statement
1) F=ma.
Simply right? But hidden in 1 contains the operation of
a) multiplication.
b) A connection between F and the second differative of position.
c) Given F and M, all higher differentive of 3 or more of position is zero.
d) 1 can be translated into : x'= v & v'= F/m such that there is a unique representation in phase space, and that all trajectory is determined by exactly two piece of information.
What can we say about 1? It is a compact way of expressing a-d. 1 is a contingent statement. It could very well be different in a different universe. ( perhaps something like F=ma').
---------- Post added 08-23-2009 at 06:42 AM ----------
jeeprs;85099 wrote:everybody is trying to explain everything by evolution. It doesn't work. Mathematics and rationality did not 'just evolve'. This is all part of a failed attempt to substitute science for philosophy. We have it all backwards, and this is why we see ourselves as victims and not the creators we are.
The underlined phrase indicates the primacy of consciousness (a.k.a. 'soul') in the creation of reality.
ok, you can hold your view, but what problem can you solve by holding this view?