Re: Bug#361418: Debian menu and the Apps/Science section
> >FWIW, I would argue that mathematics is not a science -- it does not use
> >the scientific method, there is no hypothesis and experimentation -- it
> >is a more self-contained discipline that, while it seeks to be useful,
> >is not bound to modelling the physical world.
>
> I think of new ways to try and simulate things faster or in a simpler
> way. Then i'll write the simulation and try the ideas and measure its
> performance and accuracy. This applied mathematics is very much like
> a real-world engineering problem with hypothesis and experimentation.
Hmm, perhaps I didn't express myself properly. Of course, any
discipline can use hypothesis and experimentation, from the arts to
astrology.
What I mean is: in the physical sciences, hypothesis and experimentation
are fundamental to building "scientific truth". This is because the
basis of science is trying to understand the physical world, formulating
theories that explain what is seen, and then testing and refining these
theories. This is what the "scientific method" is for.
On the other hand, "mathematical truth" is based on pure logic and
proof. It need not have any link to the physical world (though it often
does). Experimentation can be a useful guide, but it is certainly not
essential, and indeed experimental results are generally not accepted as
a method of establishing mathematical facts. The result of all of this
is that mathematicians can be more sure of their truths than scientists,
but on the other hand their work is often somewhat less useful from a
practical point of view.
Ben.
Reply to: