Empiricism’s paradox

[Jim_Baur]

The empiricists use observation and math to help them understand the world of being.

However, I do not recall any scientific data that there are physical entities called one, two, circle, square, pi, irrational numbers the like.

Furthermore, no one person has ever counted to infinity.

I could be mistake on the nature of empiricism and math. If I am correct, please be gentle, thanks.

I know that people of science use observation and math. Have they ever observed cubes, fours, infinite numbers and the like?

 

[hatsoff]

The empiricists use observation and math to help them understand the world of being.

However, I do not recall any scientific data that there are physical entities called one, two, circle, square, pi, irrational numbers the like.

Furthermore, no one person has ever counted to infinity.

I could be mistake on the nature of empiricism and math. If I am correct, please be gentle, thanks.

I know that people of science use observation and math. Have they ever observed cubes, fours, infinite numbers and the like?

Math is an inferential tool, not a physical substance. Scientists do not claim to have observe mathematical objects.

Platonists do claim to observe such things, but of course they are quite mistaken.

 

[Karmartia]

The empiricists use observation and math to help them understand the world of being.

However, I do not recall any scientific data that there are physical entities called one, two, circle, square, pi, irrational numbers the like.

Furthermore, no one person has ever counted to infinity.

I could be mistake on the nature of empiricism and math. If I am correct, please be gentle, thanks.

I know that people of science use observation and math. Have they ever observed cubes, fours, infinite numbers and the like?

I must be really dumb, because I don’t understand your question. Every morning I observe “one” or “two” sugar “cubes” enter the “circle” of my coffee cup, then I fold my paper into a “square” just before I eat my “pi.”

 

[Thing]

The empiricists use observation and math to help them understand the world of being.

However, I do not recall any scientific data that there are physical entities called one, two, circle, square, pi, irrational numbers the like.

Furthermore, no one person has ever counted to infinity.

I could be mistake on the nature of empiricism and math. If I am correct, please be gentle, thanks.

I know that people of science use observation and math. Have they ever observed cubes, fours, infinite numbers and the like?

You’ve never heard of the multiplication of the loaves and the fishes?

 

[Langdell]

The empiricists use observation and math to help them understand the world of being.

However, I do not recall any scientific data that there are physical entities called one, two, circle, square, pi, irrational numbers the like.

Furthermore, no one person has ever counted to infinity.

I could be mistake on the nature of empiricism and math. If I am correct, please be gentle, thanks.

I know that people of science use observation and math. Have they ever observed cubes, fours, infinite numbers and the like?

Jim – There’s a great book called What Is Mathematics, Really? that deals with these issues. Based on your posts, I think you would love it. I read it a few years ago and found it utterly fascinating.

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