Home » Exploring Concepts

Your inquiry is – did Plato think math was discovered or invented?

Contents

Plato believed that math was discovered, not invented, as it exists independently of human beings and their minds.

Detailed response to the query

Plato was a Greek philosopher who lived from 427-347 BCE, and he believed that math was discovered, not invented. According to his philosophy, mathematical concepts such as numbers and shapes exist independently of human beings and their minds. “Plato believed that mathematical concepts, like all knowledge, exists in the world of Forms, which is a non-physical realm of abstract ideas,” explains a post from the online resource Maths Insider. This means that mathematical truths are eternal and unchanging, and do not rely on human interpretation or invention.

Plato’s view on math as something that was discovered, not invented, has persisted for centuries and still holds relevance today. In fact, it has informed our modern understanding of mathematics and its place in the world. As the philosopher and mathematician Bertrand Russell noted, “Mathematics, rightly viewed, possesses not only truth but supreme beauty—a beauty cold and austere, like that of sculpture.” In other words, the beauty and elegance of mathematical concepts lie not in their invention by human minds, but in their discovery and recognition.

Here are some interesting facts related to Plato’s views on math:

  • Plato’s famous work “The Republic” contains a passage describing a mathematical mystery—a mathematical formula that allegedly contains a hidden message about the universe.
  • Plato’s belief in the existence of a non-physical realm of abstract ideas (the world of Forms) was influential in the development of modern philosophy and thought.
  • Some modern mathematicians and philosophers, such as Kurt Gödel and Alain Badiou, have built on Plato’s ideas and developed their own theories on the nature of mathematical truth.
IT\\\'S IMPORTANT:  Quick answer to: when did mathematics become popular in Western Europe?

In summary, Plato believed that math was discovered, not invented, and that mathematical concepts exist independently of human minds. This view has persisted throughout history and informed our modern understanding of mathematics.

You might discover the answer to “Did Plato think math was discovered or invented?” in this video

In this video, the debate between Platonism and Formalism regarding the validity of mathematics is discussed. Platonism holds that mathematics is composed of abstract entities that are discovered, while Formalism views mathematics as an invention. Gödel’s theorem, which proves that there are true propositions in mathematics that cannot be proven within the system itself, has implications for both viewpoints, but particularly for Formalism. Gödel believed that Platonism would eventually be the only tenable viewpoint, but this remains a matter of debate.

Online, I discovered more solutions

Platonism as a philosophy of mathematics is the view that at least the most basic mathematical objects (e.g., real numbers, Euclidean squares) actually exist, independently of the human mind which conceives them. Their properties are discovered, not created.

Discoverable

Greek philosopher Plato argued that math is a discoverable system that underlines the structure of the universe. In other words, the universe is made of math and the more we understand this vast interplay of numbers, the more we can understand nature itself.

Mathematics does not have an existence outside/independent of our human/abstract thoughts. Therefore there has never been mathematics in existence that humans discovered. It is more like an abstract invention created by our minds that allows us to describe the world we observe. Without mathematics it is virtually inconceivable that the technological world we live in could have been created by mankind.

You will probably be interested in this

Is mathematics invented or discovered Plato?
In reply to that: Thirdly, since platonism ensures that mathematics is discovered rather than invented, there would be no need for mathematicians to restrict themselves to constructive methods and axioms, which establishes (iii).
Similar
What math did Plato invent?
The reply will be: Plato the mathematician is perhaps best known for his identification of 5 regular symmetrical 3-dimensional shapes, which he maintained were the basis for the whole universe, and which have become known as the Platonic Solids: the tetrahedron (constructed of 4 regular triangles, and which for Plato represented fire),
Who said mathematics invented?
Response: Archimedes is known as the Father of Mathematics. Mathematics is one of the ancient sciences developed in time immemorial.
Is math discovered in Platonism?
Answer: The Basic Claim of Mathematical Platonism
Mathematical Platonism holds that mathematical objects exist independent of human activity, thought and language. Therefore, we might say that it is the view that mathematical objects are discovered or found, rather than constructed or made by human beings.
What did Plato think about mathematics?
The ancient Greek philosopher Plato had an answer. He thought mathematics describes objects that really exist. For Plato, these objects included numbers and geometric shapes. Today, we might add more complicated mathematical objects such as groups, categories, functions, fields, and rings to the list.
Was mathematics an invention or a discovery?
There were moments in the past when people discovered something that already existed when doing mathematics, and other times when people thought they invented equations and methods to write something that was simply going in their minds. Some people argue that, unlike the light bulb, mathematics wasn’t an invention, but a discovery.
Why do some people oppose the idea that math was discovered?
As a response to this: Some people oppose the idea that math was discovered. They belong to the anti-Platonic school of thought, which believes that mathematics was invented. They consider math to be a human invention designed in a way that suitably describes the physical world. To suit our needs, the human mind continually makes up new mathematical concepts.
What is mathematical Platonism?
Answer to this: Mathematical platonism can be defined as the conjunction of the following three theses: Existence. There are mathematical objects. Abstractness. Mathematical objects are abstract. Independence. Mathematical objects are independent of intelligent agents and their language, thought, and practices.
What did Plato think about mathematics?
The ancient Greek philosopher Plato had an answer. He thought mathematics describes objects that really exist. For Plato, these objects included numbers and geometric shapes. Today, we might add more complicated mathematical objects such as groups, categories, functions, fields, and rings to the list.
Are mathematical truths discovered or invented?
As a response to this: Mathematical truths are therefore discovered, not invented. The most important argument for the existence of abstract mathematical objects derives from Gottlob Frege and goes as follows (Frege 1953). The language of mathematics purports to refer to and quantify over abstract mathematical objects.
Was mathematics invented?
The word mathematics might have been invented, the language in which the mathematics are written might have been invented but the abstraction movement from the real word, the structured synthesis that it undertakes, all that give thickness to mathematics themselves (it depends what you call mathematics) are part of mankind.
What is a mathematical entity according to Plato?
As stated by Plato’s ontological realism, mathematical entities correspond to Plato’s Theory of Forms. Mathematical entities, like Forms, are abstract, acausal, eternal and indestructible (Shabel, 2005). As existing outside of space and time, they are not part of the empirical world and are therefore only knowable a priori.

Rate article
Such different mathematics

ATTENTION TO RIGHT HOLDERS! All materials posted on the site are strictly for informational and educational purposes! If you believe that the posting of any material infringes your copyright, be sure to contact us through the contact form and your material will be removed!

© 2023 Such different mathematics