In what way has math been constructed by humans? Also, I think we tend to value natural, inherent things over the "constructed". Why is that? Is something not true just because it was constructed?
I am writing in response to Emily's blog in which she poses the above questions. In her blog she says that she prefers Math and Science of History and English because History and English seemed constructed and Math and Science is black and white. Though this is a great view I do have to disagree. I mean Science is ever changing and is not a topic that you can set in stone. One minute they say scientists have discovered that this causes cancer and the next minute it is said that that same thing that caused cancer actually prevents cancer. If any subject is constructed by man I would have to say science is number one on the list. As far as history goes, we don't know if the things that happened really did, I mean did WWI really happen or did the people of that generation just plot and decided to say it did because they were bored. The only history we truly know and truly can say happened is the history we lived through. I mean my kids may not believe me when I say to them that on my way to school one day in 2001 planes crashed into a NYC landmark and brought them down. Why should they believe me? As far as math goes, I mean who is to say that 2+2=4. All I know is that if I have two donuts and you give me two more I will be one happy person with 4 donuts. But then this goes back to the discussion we had in class concerning the usage of numbers. The number system was made by humans so do numbers really exist outside of what we call them? Is two really two? Honestly, I think all subjects and all rules are constructed by humans and there is a flaw in almost everything. It is just up to us to believe what we feel is close to the truth. I believe truth is defined by people and the definition varies from person to person. Something isn't not true because it is constructed it just goes back, I feel, to what we are each willing to believe.
My question is when dealing with subjects in school and college how much faith should we put into our teachers/professors to lead us the right way?
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"I believe truth is defined by people and the definition varies from person to person"
ReplyDeleteMy view: each person determines to a large extent what he/she accepts as true, but the definitions of truth we employ -- in contrast to the beliefs we hold to be true -- are most likely one or two in number: correspondence and/or coherence.
I have responded to your question Michelle.
ReplyDeleteA number is just a unit of mesure. The number one means nothing unless you say, "I have one laptop." One is just what we call a single unit.
ReplyDelete