Maths, science, culture and religion

Sunday, November 07, 2004

The objective and subjective in maths and religion

If you can accept the existence of an independent mathematical world (as many mathematicians, the so-called Platonists, do), which nevertheless somehow interacts with both the physical and the mental world, then it is easier for you to accept the existence of an independent Transcendent (spiritual) world of (Christian) religion which somehow interacts with both our physical and mental worlds.

The question is not whether a mathematician invents or discovers mathematics; the question is in what relation are these two complementary aspects of his/her activity. The question is not whether what a Christian believes in has an objective existence or is purely a product of his/her mind; the question is in what relation are these two complementary aspects of his/her faith.

The roles of maths and religion

There are similarities between the role of mathematics in science (physics) and that of religion in culture.
Mathematics was the abstract perspective which helped to understand (and partly resolve) the crisis in physics at the beginning of the last century; Christian religion could similarly provide an (abstract) perspective through which one can obtain a better insight into our present crisis of (Western) culture and (cultural) globalisation.

The two not-so-obvious worlds

The world of mathematics exists on its own and is mysteriously related to the “real” world and to human mind; the same can be said about the (Christian) spiritual world.
Mathematics not only helps to understand the physical world through mathematical models but it could inspire an understanding of the relation between cognitive models of reality presented by science and (Christian) religion respectively.

Thursday, November 04, 2004

Compatible interpretations

It is not true that religion and science are on a collision course.
It is not true that religion and science are mutually irrelevant.

It is true that some interpretations of religion and some interpretations of science are on a collision course.
It is true that "uninterpreted" religion and "uninterpreted" science are mutually irrelevant.