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The more general question is "Why is mathematics said to be discovered, rather than invented." People can, and have, written full-fledged papers about this. S
by jlgreco 14y ago
The more general question is "Why is mathematics said to be discovered, rather than invented." People can, and have, written full-fledged papers about this.
Suffice it to say though, that Lisp is said to be discovered because that is the terminology typically used with things in mathematics.
- mheathr 14y agoIt would be strange to claim to have invented something that already existed, but whose status exists only because people were unaware of it prior. People did not say that they invented gold when it was discovered for instance.
- jlgreco 14y agoIf you really want to examine whether mathematics is discovered or invented, you very quickly become immersed in philosophy. It's an interesting conversation to have once or twice, but I'm a tad too drunk for that tonight. ;)
- informatimago 14y agoIn latin, discoverer is translated as inventor. They means the same thing. In French, somebody discovering a treasure can be called "l'inventeur du trésor".
- lifeisstillgood 14y agoUsually inventing is creating something that does not exist in nature, discovery is revealing an aspect of nature previously unknown Mathematics is discovered, simply because mathematics was invented elsewhere in order to run the matrix we have evolved on. Apparently in a pan galactic hyper intelligent teenagers bedroom