this post was submitted on 18 Oct 2023
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Science Memes

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fishing for math (feddit.de)
submitted 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) by anzich@feddit.de to c/science_memes@mander.xyz
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[–] Jeredin@lemm.ee 67 points 2 years ago (5 children)

“Oh look at my beautiful math, it’s only meant to be looked at and not used to explain or discover anything.”

  • No mathematician I know
[–] driving_crooner@lemmy.eco.br 29 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

I was studying discrete mathematics with a book that had mini biographies of the mathematicians that worked on wharever was being explain on that section. And it had one of them, who considered mathematics an art at the same level as painting or sculpting and hated that mathematicians "lower" themselves to do math that were "useful", like nobody expects the same "useful results" from the art department. This guy worked really hard to only research on pure mathematics and the most "useless" branch of it, number theory. Eventually, his work helped build the necessary mathematics background to make encryption a thing, and now the entire society use his research. It's a shame I can't remember the name of the guy.

[–] anzich@feddit.de 6 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

This may have applications to "obscure physics topic"

-- Mathematicians I know trying to justify their work well knowing that it has no applications

[–] Sloogs@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Idk man I've seen mathematicians at my university shudder at applied math and they were kind of half joking and half not. Not all of the faculty were like that though, some of them had a wide range of interests! My favourite was a wonderful Polish professor named Edward who knew tons of things about not just math but also computer science, physics, and chemistry.

[–] Bouchtroubouli@lemmy.world 1 points 2 years ago

Mathematician be like:

Hey engineer ! What if we kissed at the intersection of two parallel lines ?? 😳

Haha just kiding....

Unless ... ? 👉👈

[–] MonkderZweite@feddit.ch 0 points 2 years ago

On the other hand, physicists who think a correct mathematical result proves anything, despite the logic behind being flawed, are the real issue.

[–] someguy3@lemmy.ca 46 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (3 children)
[–] MossyFeathers@pawb.social 31 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I like the extended version, though I'm almost certain I saw an even more expanded version somewhere, though I haven't been able to find it again.

[–] Pulptastic@midwest.social 8 points 2 years ago (1 children)

That's tough to swallow. Philosophy almost belongs at both ends.

[–] MossyFeathers@pawb.social 4 points 2 years ago

No, I mean, I remember there being a further expanded version that adds more steps between social sciences and philosophy. I haven't been able to find it though.

[–] OpenStars@kbin.social 4 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Mathematics is the only branch of science that will continue long after the universe ends.:-)

[–] MossyFeathers@pawb.social 15 points 2 years ago (4 children)

Math is literally made up. There is no physical basis for math. Math is just another language used to describe things. The universe doesn't care whether there's "2 particles" or "1 particle and another particle" or "1 particle + 1 particle". It doesn't make these distinctions. Math only exists as long as there is an intelligent species which uses it. If there are no intelligent brains capable of using math and with a knowledge that it exists, math stops existing.

[–] blanketswithsmallpox@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

Math isn't really made up. It's an innate property of the universe at minimum being interpreted by humans as numbers and equations.

It can also literally be what the universe is made of.

PBS Spacetime https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F__elfR3w8c

[–] MonkderZweite@feddit.ch 0 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

You mean logic. Math is describing this in formulas. Some even make up nonsense with formulas. Wasn't there a scientific 'proof of god' with flawed logic years ago?

[–] MonkderZweite@feddit.ch 2 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

And it has an awkward syntax. That i can have this opinion at all is already proof of it being made up. Which is applied logic btw.

[–] girl@lemm.ee 2 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

Except there is math in nature, such as fractals, the Fibonacci sequence, and the wave behavior or sound and light. Sure nature doesn’t have any awareness of doing math, but it is there. Not all math is made up just for our understanding.

[–] MossyFeathers@pawb.social 9 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

That's kinda the point though. Math is a language inspired by reality. It describes the logical relationships between things in an abstract format. Physical sciences like physics or chemistry build off it by adding rules and units to more accurately describe or predict real-world relationships, but at the end of the day, it's all made up. Nature isn't doing math to create a fractal any more than you're doing math when you move your fingers or toes. Math doesn't create a fractal, it describes it! You can then use that description to create a fractal, but the fractal isn't math.

[–] frunch@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago

This conversation reminds me of the first couple times i surfed Reddit over a decade ago. It was so cool to be in a place where intelligent and interesting discussion was happening.... Wish i could contribute something useful to it, but i just want to thank you all for carrying that kind of energy into the '20s 🥂

[–] anzich@feddit.de 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Technically true but most math is motivated by nature

[–] DarkenLM@kbin.social 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Pretty sure that when humanity dies, math dies with it, and the universe won't give two fucks about it and continue on it's merry way.

[–] morrowind@lemmy.ml 3 points 2 years ago

Think e meant in the sense that math is true regardless of the universe (or some people believe)

[–] CosmicTurtle@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)
[–] SkyeStarfall@lemmy.blahaj.zone 18 points 2 years ago (2 children)

How in the world did you manage to make that image so small

[–] Zorque@kbin.social 7 points 2 years ago (1 children)

They probably copied the url for a thumbnail by mistake.

[–] CosmicTurtle@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I copied the URL from Google. I thought I got the right one. It looks fine on my phone. Must look different on desktop.

[–] girl@lemm.ee 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

it is teeny on my phone lol

[–] RedditRefugee69@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago

Can anyone read what the next person says?

[–] Motzart@lemm.ee 4 points 2 years ago
[–] Crul@lemm.ee 5 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

Extended version 1 (legible): http://i.imgur.com/WVGF9.jpg

Arranged by complexity: http://i.imgur.com/hDa0P5M.png

Extendend version 2: https://i.imgur.com/POrlDF4.png

Source:

cc @SkyeStarfall@lemmy.blahaj.zone @Zorque@kbin.social @girl@lemm.ee @RedditRefugee69@lemmy.world

Found via reverse image search:

[–] driving_crooner@lemmy.eco.br 2 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Extended version 3: an actuarial analyst preparing for another exam connecting the math with the money.

[–] Dagnet@lemmy.world 36 points 2 years ago (2 children)

As an engineer, we would be fishing from the black cat's bucket

[–] TheMechanic@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 years ago

Archimedes constant for pi is good enough to get to the moon. Send it.

Not with a rod. But with a hairdryer.

[–] Couplqnd@lemmy.world 24 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

I always say this to annoy my math and science friends

Engineers live in the real world

Scientists live in the ideal world

And mathematicians..... live in their own world

[–] affiliate@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago

this is exactly why i like math. i get to play pretend in my own little world

[–] BuboScandiacus@mander.xyz 3 points 2 years ago

Engineers live in the real world

Yeah, that cat is definitely a cylinder

[–] CyberTailor@beehaw.org 1 points 2 years ago

Newton 🗿