Roberto, does Godel’s theorem apply only to logical systems based on numbers or to any logical system? If the former, then it can’t be used as proof against the secularists/realativists, unless what that they cherish as self-evident, i.e., “There is no such thing as (absolute) truth.” is a logical statement/system based on numbers.
On the other hand I prefer to have fun and deflate their hubris with this question: “How can you be so (absolutely) certain that there is no such thing as (absolute) truth?”
Jeff, as a university math teacher, I can tell you that your fictitious situation is not as far away from what is happening in some places as you may think.
Quite a bit of research is in fact being done on the social influence on mathematics, on connecting the math developed at different times in different parts of the world and there is some following to the claim that “math would be much different if the patriarchal model had not prevailed for so long”.
And, as it so often happens, the problem is not with the truth that math provides, but with the gross misunderstandings that some people make of it, influenced of course, by moral relativism.
What continues to intrigue me is the fact that what many consider as the most important mathematical discovery of the 20th century is virtually unknown among the public. I am referring to Godel’s incompleteness theorem, which basically says that in any logical system based on numbers there are infinitely many statements that are true, but cannot be proven.
Could it be that this theorem is not made better known because it implies that science cannot prove everything and cannot solve all our problems, as the secularists claim?
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Roberto, does Godel’s theorem apply only to logical systems based on numbers or to any logical system? If the former, then it can’t be used as proof against the secularists/realativists, unless what that they cherish as self-evident, i.e., “There is no such thing as (absolute) truth.” is a logical statement/system based on numbers.
On the other hand I prefer to have fun and deflate their hubris with this question: “How can you be so (absolutely) certain that there is no such thing as (absolute) truth?”
Jeff, as a university math teacher, I can tell you that your fictitious situation is not as far away from what is happening in some places as you may think.
Quite a bit of research is in fact being done on the social influence on mathematics, on connecting the math developed at different times in different parts of the world and there is some following to the claim that “math would be much different if the patriarchal model had not prevailed for so long”.
And, as it so often happens, the problem is not with the truth that math provides, but with the gross misunderstandings that some people make of it, influenced of course, by moral relativism.
What continues to intrigue me is the fact that what many consider as the most important mathematical discovery of the 20th century is virtually unknown among the public. I am referring to Godel’s incompleteness theorem, which basically says that in any logical system based on numbers there are infinitely many statements that are true, but cannot be proven.
Could it be that this theorem is not made better known because it implies that science cannot prove everything and cannot solve all our problems, as the secularists claim?