Re: WAS-- Re: Hanson 2006, Mortimer, Baeker response

[Phil Bigelow <bigelowp@juno.com>]

The construction, testing, and potential falsification of mathematical
theorems and mathematical proofs follows the scientific method, so I
don't see why it isn't a science, too.

<pb>

On Fri, 23 Jun 2006 12:48:47 -0700 (PDT) don ohmes <d_ohmes@yahoo.com>
writes:
> ????-- Just curious here. If math is "not science" (I assume you mean 
> "not one of the scientific disciplines"), what do you call it? And 
> why?
> 
> Don
> 
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: Jaime A. Headden <qilongia@yahoo.com>
> To: dinosaur@usc.edu
> Cc: alincodj2k@yahoo.com
> Sent: Thursday, June 22, 2006 4:45:46 PM
> Subject: Re: Hanson 2006, Mortimer, Baeker response
> 
> "Jack" (alincodj2k@yahoo.com) wrote:
> 
> <I have a number of problems with cladistics, not the least of which 
> is the
> almost entirely subjective nature of this method. It is about as 
> non-objective
> as dousing rods but alluring just the same because cladists use 
> computers! It
> is science with your unconscious thumb on the scale of knowledge and 
> your
> reward the chance to name a branching point on a diagram you just 
> drew!>
> 
>   Actually, that thumb is VERY concious. One must make decisions, 
> after all, on
> the inclusiveness or lack thereof of any data matrix, and this 
> includes a
> matrix of ANY science. ALL sciences are subjective, since all 
> require asking
> particular questions to derive particular answers, and use 
> particular filters
> and tests to remove particular improbabilities. I find that those 
> who claim
> cladistics isn't scientific because of its subjectivity haven't 
> looked to
> closely at their own fields -- or they're mathematicians deluded 
> into thinking
> that math IS science; it isn't.
> 
>   Cheers,
> 
> Jaime A. Headden
> http://bitestuff.blogspot.com/
> 
> "Innocent, unbiased observation is a myth." --- P.B. Medawar (1969)
> 
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