[LINK] Numbers limit how accurately digital computers model chaos

[Bernard Robertson-Dunn]

On 25/09/2019 3:11 pm, David wrote:
>> All mathematics involves intellectual models / mind-stuff.
>> Mathematics is not, and not of, the real world.
> Now that's a very brave assertion IMO.  It can also be argued the reason why mathematics allows us to model the real-world so successfully is that it's a generalisation derived from the world we see around us.  That's why the number "zero" was late to be recognised, for example.

It may be brave, but IMO Roger's assertion is totally justifiable.

As you state, mathematics is a language, a model, of the real world. It
may exist on its own in the real world (you can get a degree in the
subject), but like any other language, its use is as a representation or
reality, validated by experiment.

And when you put numbers (data) in a model, it can become more than a
generalisation, it can become highly specific - Apollo 11 on its journey
to the moon and back.

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Regards
brd

Bernard Robertson-Dunn
Canberra Australia
email: brd at iimetro.com.au