Comment by meroes
11 days ago
Very similar arguments date back to at least Plato. Ancient Greek math was based in geometry and Plato argued one could never demonstrate incommensurable lengths of rope due to physical constraints. And yet incommensurable lengths exist in math. So he said the two realms are forever divided.
I think it’s modern science’s use of math that made people forget this.
Mathematics (and computer science) is often taught independent of philosophy, which is a loss for both fields.
Philiosophers aren't aware but Science itself and math curb-stomped most of the bullshit from philosophy and for the good.
Lovecraft captured well that feeling with Cosmic Horror. But, you know, in the 20's, 30's, 40's, scifi writters evolved. Outdated, romantic foes (specially the French and German romanticism) keep bitching over and over about the pure and 'simple' past, as if the universe had a meaning per se. And they are utterly lost. Forever.
Archimedes and Euclides won over Aristotle. Guess why. Math itself it's the Logos.
I get that philosophy was outmoded in lots of ways by modern science, but Aristotle is “the father of biology”, basically starting the discipline, so the last point is hard to understand.