Joe Campbell

1/4 Demonstration & Non-Deductive Inference Many non-deductive inferences are potentially strong. However, some (induction, statistical syllogisms, abduction) are wedded to regularities and empirical evidence, so can't be used to infer a supernatural God beyond the universe.

@EmaxPress @MartSchmalzried I'm entirely subjective.

@PhilosopherJoeC @MartSchmalzried This is a rather subjective perspective !

Is mathematics objective or subjective? Say why below if you can.

@MartSchmalzried @Coltsguy95 When I think of subjective/objective I think of mind vs. mind-independent. But most who find math objective offer epistemic considerations: we know math for certain. But the fact is there are math experts, and math truths are those performed by the experts.

@Coltsguy95 @PhilosopherJoeC Yes. Of course it does. :-D

@valjtb You are just the kind of person this movement needs! (I'm practicing recruitment.)

@pitboxer_crafts Right!

@PhilosopherJoeC 4) math is hard

@ZiomkowskiChris What is an objective idea? Math can be about external objects, but it doesn't have to be.

@PhilosopherJoeC Math is a consistent, symbolic manipulation of a representation of objective ideas. The beauty of math is that "one" always means "one" to everyone. Every single entity in this universe is subject to Boolean logic while interacting with it.

@stablecross Not enough choices.

@PhilosopherJoeC D) It has both objective and subjective elements.

@sefton20 Fair enough - although the question can't be both redundant and wrong.

@PhilosopherJoeC Redundant question. Math is just defined as a system to organise and structure patterns we observe in the physical world. Objective/subjective is the wrong question, does it work as a system in all complex patterns in the universe is a better question.

@PhilosophieW Good answer.

@sk_constantine Yes.

@PhilosopherJoeC Well. Theology and metaphysical terms are influencing each other. Right?

I regard myself as a Christian. Most of the philosophical Christians - those who have an opinion on such matters - would not regard me as a Christian based on my metaphysical beliefs. I'm a philosopher. I taught metaphysics for 30 years. Yet I'm treated like an ignorant child.

@rep_movsd @DjlocktiteX Some statements about math, truths about math, are outside the scope.

@PhilosopherJoeC @DjlocktiteX Godel didnt say anything except that some statements are outside the scope of any formal system

@havoc_211 Do you think philosophy is analogous to money?

Oh, I know. I had a professor try to sell me on the notion that Christianity and philosophy can be useful together.. one to understand the other. Nope. Matthew 6:24 comes into view rather rapidly. And in debate it becomes apparent factually rather than theoretically. People use philosophy to build dogma, then cling to the dogma while they burn the Bible to protect it. Been at this for 4 decades and seen it too many times to count.

@innuendo_pibara Good answer.

@PhilosopherJoeC It's absolutely subjective. It's shocking to see the poll results. It only becomes objective when we apply it to objective data. Without the real world objective data we can use math to model whatever crazy shit we make up. Math only becomes objective if we force it to with data.

@Waltika Does this entail a kind of Platonism?

@PhilosopherJoeC Math is objective because it expresses logical deductions based on axioms. It’s independent from a potential real life instantiation of the math or the language expressing it.

@FelixDelong Not all the truths of math, though.

@PhilosopherJoeC 1+1=2 is objective truth, and the rest of the math gets derived from there :D

@TomPMarshall Good examples.

@PhilosopherJoeC Explanation for "huh?" answer Deterministic or probabilistic mathematics? Not sure what you mean by 'subjective' Is mathematics discovered or created?

@uapdog I should have given more options.

@PhilosopherJoeC What about both/and? Mathematics is collective subjective. Humans invented math to describe the non-qualitative aspects of human experience.

@StrangerWasp What in the world does the formula for a circle refer to? Presuming there are no perfect circles in the world.

@PhilosopherJoeC Mathematics is subjective because it is symbolic. Every symbol refers to something objective. And symbols can only be processed subjectively. Even animals recognize symbols, just like any mathematician.

@netripy @georgeinlimbo Good point and example.

@georgeinlimbo @PhilosopherJoeC Bayes knows a way to update your beliefs credibly. I don't think the properties of math being subjective and objective are mutually exclusive. Math can be structurally objective and semantically subjective at the same time.

@wbic16 That last point is certainly true.

@PhilosopherJoeC Objective. Philosophers and mathematicians who reject objective truth just aren't trying hard enough. The trouble is that we've smuggled in a lot of subjective BS and kept calling it math.

@bruceaswanton You look like you needed a nap.

@PhilosopherJoeC Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz