Dear Stephen, Howard, lists - I tend to share Stephen's position here. But Howard is right that there is no simple way of deciding the basic issues of the foundation of mathematics and logic. It is a question which can not be decided by empirical evidence - because that begs the question (to decide whether math consists of empirical structures in the brains of some organisms only, or whether it has a status beyond that of empirical knowledge).
Not even simplicity may settle the question. Partisans of the former view think their answer is the simpler because it gives an austere-looking ontology - shoveling all problems into that tiny part of reality which consists of brain matter. Partisans of the latter - to whom I think you have guessed I count myself - think their view is the simpler because it accounts better for the reality of scientific results using math and logic, avoiding the impending dualism of the former view … I do not know whether Howard concludes from the fact there is no simple decision procedure here to the conclusion that we should leave the matter to personal taste. I think it is important to continue pondering that issue in the light of continuing discoveries, both in the empirical and non-empirical fields … Best F Den 14/09/2014 kl. 12.56 skrev "Stephen C. Rose" <stever...@gmail.com<mailto:stever...@gmail.com>> : I think an analogy from cyber development is pertinent when discussing what is within and without human scope. We denote things that assist us as utilities. We could say that logic and math are utilities. But utilities depend in some cases on things that already exist and could be said to be within the structure of reality. Reality is everything, what we know and do not know. Maybe that is why Pythagoras heard music from beyond. We do the same I'm sure. i
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