03-12-2009, 11:11 PM
As far as a normal everyday person using it, they wouldn't. Only scientists and mathematicians would ever come across this issue.
But to argue that because you don't use it, therefore it isn't true doesn't make any sense either. I don't use hardly any of what I learned in college in my daily life, actually this thread is the first time I have ever used something I learned in any of my mathematics courses outside of college/tutoring. Most of the stuff you do as a mathematics major will never been seen by a "normal" person, just scientists and mathematicians.
It is the way it is because it was defined as such, much like my earlier example that the color red is what it is because it was defined as such. All of mathematics is defined based on the axioms of set theory (except Geometry which has it's own 5 axioms). An axiom is a proposition that is not proved or demonstrated but considered to be either self-evident, or subject to necessary decision. Therefore, its truth is taken for granted, and serves as a starting point for deducing and inferring other (theory dependent) truths.
Thus everything in mathematics is technically "made up" but it is done so by a very specific set of rules.
But to argue that because you don't use it, therefore it isn't true doesn't make any sense either. I don't use hardly any of what I learned in college in my daily life, actually this thread is the first time I have ever used something I learned in any of my mathematics courses outside of college/tutoring. Most of the stuff you do as a mathematics major will never been seen by a "normal" person, just scientists and mathematicians.
It is the way it is because it was defined as such, much like my earlier example that the color red is what it is because it was defined as such. All of mathematics is defined based on the axioms of set theory (except Geometry which has it's own 5 axioms). An axiom is a proposition that is not proved or demonstrated but considered to be either self-evident, or subject to necessary decision. Therefore, its truth is taken for granted, and serves as a starting point for deducing and inferring other (theory dependent) truths.
Thus everything in mathematics is technically "made up" but it is done so by a very specific set of rules.
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