From: Rob Harris Cen-IT (Rob.Harris@bournemouth.gov.uk)
Date: Thu Jul 15 1999 - 06:08:22 MDT
> You don't know enough about math for your opinion to count. No insult
> intended.
>
It's true, I know zilch about math, but I don't hold this as relevant. I
argue with statements made such as below:
> Math is math, and is the same math everywhere in the universe.
>
You and everyone else on this planet have absolutely no evidence whatsoever
for this immense assumption. It doensn't matter that maths can describe most
things we have encountered...it may not be the exact tool that dissimilar
civilisations use. True, there are probably basic similarities, but no way
will I buy that any civilisation would certainly understand one of our
equations when faced with it, even having explained the symbols etc... Basic
concepts such as why, how, systems thinking and linear time may not be as
they are here due to the brain (or equivalent) structure of the observers,
providing a very different perspective from which to view and therefore
describe the universe.
> Any species more advanced than us is going to KNOW any math that we
> know.
>
They will know the natural systems/laws/relationships that the math
describes, yes, but no way will they definitely describe it in exactly the
same way as us.
> They will know other maths, but if they are interested in
> communicating with primitve species, they will use maths that are common
> among primitive societies.
>
If such commonality exists.
Remember - in all this, I MERELY point out that you people CANNOT be
as cocksure as you seem that all civilisations throughout the universe will
use math exactly as we use it.
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