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Joined 2 years ago
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Cake day: February 19th, 2024

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  • I might go even further and say there’s no “math”. There are a wide variety of axiomatic systems (eg. games). None has the sole claim to being “math”. Maybe they’re all “math”.

    (On the other hand… I guess any system that contains the “natural numbers” would be sufficient for the bulk of what’s widely considered “math”.)


  • I think saying that a theorem is true presumes the axioms from which it was proven and so the entire system is “true everywhere forever”.

    I often find it helpful to think of chess as my axiomatic system. When we say the king is in checkmate, it presumes that we accept all the underlying rules of chess. And these pieces that theoretically form a checkmate will always do so forever… Assuming the usual rules of chess, assuming they’re unchanging, etc.

    When you put things in terms of chess, these “deep” statements about “math” often become banal. And it works for any game that’s a “formal system” (eg. most board games).