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Reaction Paper Math Is Not A Language
Reaction Paper Math Is Not A Language
symbols.
Galileo Galilei quoted that, “Mathematics is the language in which God has
written the universe.” Most seemingly this quote is a summary of a statement of his
in Opere Il Saggiatore: [The universe] cannot be read until we have learnt the language
language, and the letters are triangles, circle and other geometrical figures, without
cannot understand the things from our surroundings to the endless cosmos without
we can learn and discover several things like the inventions we have today to
several elements vocabulary, grammar, syntax, and people who use and understand it,
and having those elements would make that system of communication to be considered
a language. Coincidently, mathematics has its set of formal rules and symbols which
lead to the fact that it meets the said definition of a language. I agree that mathematics
useless set of formal rules and unfamiliar symbols. Why? Firstly, those sets of formal
rules are the ones that govern mathematics as a language. Like the key rules of the
English language like the use of active voice, linking ideas with a conjunction, and the
use of the semicolon to join two ideas, Mathematic has its rules to make it things
systematic, and to guide the comprehension of man towards mathematics and their
usage of it. Secondly, these symbols are usually rendered in the speaker’s used
language. For example, the symbol “+” is translated to “plus” in the English language. In
other words, these symbols are not unfamiliar, for it takes time and effort to recognize
spoken or delivered verbally. Mathematics has the nature of being written as its form of
communication. Yes, some mathematical statements can be read aloud like simple
addition statements and whatnot, but it is much harder to read other equations aloud
like Maxwell’s equations. Researchers who study the brain also disagree on the claim of
results that language and mathematics each run a completely different route of the
conducted for the studies activated different parts of the brain compared to the ones
activated by language processing and verbal semantics. These findings alone cast
serious claims and doubt against the common refrain of Mathematics is a language.
useless set of formal rules and unfamiliar symbols. We must not ignore the fact that it is
through mathematics we can discover significant things that resulted in the evolution of
mankind and our technology. It assisted us in learning our past and predicting our
future. It also played a huge role in discovering the mystery of our universe. With all of
that mentioned, we must see mathematics, not in a bad light wherein we tend to
“cancel” it, but as a basic part of ourselves that we use to deepen our comprehension of
Amalric, M., & Dehaene, S. (2016). Origins of the brain networks for advanced mathematics
https://indianapublicmedia.org/amomentofscience/math-language.php
https://www.thoughtco.com/why-mathematics-is-a-language-4158142
Spelke, E. S., & Tsivkin, S. (2001). Language and number: a bilingual training
study. Cognition 78, 45-88.
Musso, M. et al. (2003). Broca's area and the language instinct. Nature 6:7, 774-781.