Mathematics and the Universe

[Purple Rabbit]

Well, I've just removed the Mandelbrot fractals from up the arses of Davies and Penrose from where you seemed to send them. They weren't too pleased and henceforth repay the complement with the said unicorn horn.

I reckon a Mandelbrot fractal perceived as an existing reality up in the arse is a rather spiky experience, while a virtual unicorn horn leaves no traces.

I'm reading Penrose (and recently Davies) and he mentions Gödel. Why do you think the greatest mathematical genius of the twentieth century was a mathematical platonist? Surely not another romantic?

Sometimes a one track mind is needed to achieve breakthrougs in thinking. What precisely is your question regarding Gödel?

In "The Road To Reality" on page 12 to be exact, Roger Penrose is not very convincing imo in defending the stance that mathematical forms have independent existence. He writes the following:

"Yet, there is something important to be gained in regarding mathematical structures as having a reality of their own. For our individual minds are notoriously imprecise, unreliable, and inconsistent in their judgements. The precision, reliability and consistency that are required by our scientific theories demand something beyond any one of our individual (untrustworthy) minds. In mathematics we find a far greater robustness than can be located in any particular mind. Does this not point to something outside ourselveswith a reality that lies beyond what each individual can achieve?"

With that kind of logic any idea that is a product of human collaboration gains immediate independent existence. Peace would be an independent existing entity. So would slavery, war, socialism, torture, etc, etc. Roger and out.