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Single Idea 3645
[filed under theme 26. Natural Theory / A. Speculations on Nature / 4. Mathematical Nature
]
Full Idea
The great book of the universe cannot be understood unless one can understand the language in which it is written - the language of mathematics.
Gist of Idea
To understand the universe mathematics is essential
Source
Galileo Galilei (Il Saggiatore ('The Assayer') [1623], VI.232)
Book Ref
Cottingham,John: 'The Rationalists' [OUP 1988], p.5
A Reaction
Nice, though one might say that humans created the language of maths to help them discuss the patterns they perceived in nature. Maybe what is special is order, and all order can be described mathematically.
The
14 ideas
with the same theme
[mathematics is the essence of reality]:
553
|
Pythagoreans think mathematical principles are the principles of all of nature
[Pythagoras, by Aristotle]
|
554
|
Pythagoreans say things imitate numbers, but Plato says things participate in numbers
[Pythagoras, by Aristotle]
|
375
|
When musical harmony and rhythm were discovered, similar features were seen in bodily movement
[Pythagoras, by Plato]
|
638
|
Pythagoreans define timeliness, justice and marriage in terms of numbers
[Pythagoras, by Aristotle]
|
644
|
For Pythagoreans the entire universe is made of numbers
[Pythagoras, by Aristotle]
|
1518
|
Everything must involve numbers, or it couldn't be thought about or known
[Philolaus]
|
1519
|
Harmony must pre-exist the cosmos, to bring the dissimilar sources together
[Philolaus]
|
473
|
There is no falsehood in harmony and number, only in irrational things
[Philolaus]
|
17858
|
Pythagoreans say the whole universe is made of numbers
[Aristotle]
|
1517
|
The tektraktys (1+2+3+4=10) is the 'fount of ever-flowing nature'
[Sext.Empiricus]
|
3645
|
To understand the universe mathematics is essential
[Galileo]
|
24023
|
All the sciences searching for order and measure are related to mathematics
[Descartes]
|
19356
|
Minds unconsciously count vibration beats in music, and enjoy it when they coincide
[Leibniz]
|
19592
|
The basic relations of nature are musical
[Novalis]
|