A maths proof that is only true in Japan
newscientist.com
A maths proof that is only true in Japan
1–10 of 82 posts
Re: A maths proof that is only true in Japan
#2I thought this would be something interesting, like the Sapir whorf hypothesis applied to mathematical reasoning - but no, it’s just the old classic professor/journal editor playing silly buggers in his power-tripping dotage scenario.
Re: A maths proof that is only true in Japan
#3I thought this would be something interesting, like the Sapir whorf hypothesis applied to mathematical reasoning - but no, it’s just the old classic professor/journal editor playing silly buggers in his power-tripping dotage scenario.
Yeah, it's ironic how math is more or less the one "universal" truth, and we still long for somehow magically make it culturally dependent. I can definitely understand that temptation. Like the opposite one, e.g. the search for a "perfect" language (as in e.g. Umberto Eco's book). Both temptations are examples of a longing for an actual paradox or absurdity in the world.
Re: A maths proof that is only true in Japan
#4Well he sounds like an arsehole either way...
Re: A maths proof that is only true in Japan
#5Finally, a proof that’s less ‘universal truth’ and more ‘regional dialect’. Next up: the Schrödinger’s theorem—proven and unproven, depending on your timezone.
Re: A maths proof that is only true in Japan
#6I thought this would be something interesting, like the Sapir whorf hypothesis applied to mathematical reasoning - but no, it’s just the old classic professor/journal editor playing silly buggers in his power-tripping dotage scenario.
Yeah, it's ironic how math is more or less the one "universal" truth, and we still long for somehow magically make it culturally dependent. I can definitely understand that temptation. Like the opposite one, e.g. the search for a "perfect" language (as in e.g. Umberto Eco's book). Both temptations are examples of a longing for an actual paradox or absurdity in the world.
Totally get your point, but math is still a human creation. The symbols, language, and frameworks we use are cultural, and disagreement over proofs like this one shows math depends on shared understanding, not just objective truth.
Re: A maths proof that is only true in Japan
#7Re: A maths proof that is only true in Japan
#8What can be proven depends on what is allowed be a part of mathematics and logic. Zero, negative numbers, imaginary numbers and a lot other stuff had go through the acceptance first before they can be used in proofs. A lot of foundational concepts in logic, reality, causality, boolean exclusivity, spatial locality - had to be rewritten due to advances in quantum physics etc.
Re: A maths proof that is only true in Japan
#9Is it even true in japan if only a subset of japanese mathematicians believe it?
Re: A maths proof that is only true in Japan
#10This title is extremely clickbaity. If a few people in Japan believe something that nobody else believes, that thing is not "only true in Japan", nobody knows if it's true anywhere.