From: Eugen Leitl (eugen@leitl.org)
Date: Mon Jun 17 2002 - 02:29:07 MDT
On Sun, 16 Jun 2002, Wei Dai wrote:
> Suppose nothing exists physically. Would mathematical structures still
> have a platonic existence? For example would the fact that 1+1=2 or
WTF is a platonic existence? Especially, if there is no Plato, nor
existence?
> the fact that the decimal expansion of PI begins with 3.1415 still
> exist? It's hard for me to conceive that they wouldn't.
It's not hard to conceive the opposite, especially if you're not there.
Really, this is pure mysticism. If there's no observer and no universe to
encode your information there is no mathematics. "1+1=2" is as meaningless
and as equally probable as 1+1=4893479327582347528345234hahahahahahahaha.
What you're referring to is generation of same results from same set of
axioms by a material system. In absence of coffee to power it, or
especially, if there is no mathematician there is no process called
mathematics.
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