Comment Re:Mathematics not universal? (Score 2, Interesting) 676
I think if we look at other non-western civilizations here on Earth we might be able to see math as other non-humans might. For example, the Navahoe (sp?) native American indians had a different concept of time. I don't know enough about the specifics but their language evolved differently as a result of how they look at the universe. (which is why they made for good code talkers in WWII as their langauge was difficult to decipher to the japanese).
Obviously the laws of the universe are going to be the same, otherwise we wouldn't live in the same universe and we wouldn't be having this discussion. But the modeling might be different, either more efficent or just a different path to get from point A to point C.
Remember that movie Contact where the Vagans sent us a coded message that humans couldn't understand until we put the messages together in 3 dimensional space, instead of on a flat piece of paper.
I think IF there are other sentient species out there then it is possible that their view of the univierse has developed differently then ours, but they still must observe the same universe as ours. They might call gravity a hamburger for all we know, but a rose by any other name smells just as sweet.
So in effect, the mathmatical models may not be universal, but their results will be. I can't imagine being able to master space flight without simple mathmatical concepts like addition. Look at the universe, specifically how biology works and addition is every where.
my 2 cents. -- Jim
Obviously the laws of the universe are going to be the same, otherwise we wouldn't live in the same universe and we wouldn't be having this discussion. But the modeling might be different, either more efficent or just a different path to get from point A to point C.
Remember that movie Contact where the Vagans sent us a coded message that humans couldn't understand until we put the messages together in 3 dimensional space, instead of on a flat piece of paper.
I think IF there are other sentient species out there then it is possible that their view of the univierse has developed differently then ours, but they still must observe the same universe as ours. They might call gravity a hamburger for all we know, but a rose by any other name smells just as sweet.
So in effect, the mathmatical models may not be universal, but their results will be. I can't imagine being able to master space flight without simple mathmatical concepts like addition. Look at the universe, specifically how biology works and addition is every where.
my 2 cents. -- Jim
