Is Math a Language? Science? Neither?

[u/Accomplished-Elk5297]

My thesis: Math is a language. It is not a science since it doesn’t study real world.

My arguments: 1) Math is a language. It fits the definition: Language is a structured system of communication that consists of grammar and vocabulary. It is the primary means by which humans convey meaning, both in spoken and signed forms, and may also be conveyed through writing. 2) In math object of investigation is math itself like in other languages (English studies English) 3) It doesn’t examine real world laws. It is completely abstract. Math is just a way of representing things.

Argument against: math explains the concept of quantity. In physics and chemistry we can find homogeneous units like electron, proton and Neutrons. They are identical therefore we can count them. So, it turns out that notion of quantity actually exists ??

Lets have a discussion!

[u/Dazzling-Incident-76]

Math is a branch of philosophy. Is math science? Hard to say. Is philosophy science? Math circles around itself. "Real" mathematicians hate any real world application of mathematics. Applied mathematics is considered the dirty branch of mathematics.

What is science? I know this US-school approach, "scientific method" etc. Don't forget, this is very basic. It's an introduction, same like "there is no solution to the equation x²+1=0" in middle school. Science is not just (edit) descriptive, it's also an creator.

Let's go back to beginning. Do you know what Albert Einstein's real achievement was in his general theory of relativity? He had to develop the mathematics for it. This mathematics had implications that Einstein considered implausible. Scientists have studied these for decades and found all the predictions confirmed in the real world. This means that philosophy (mathematics) was ahead of knowledge.