What Is Math?
88 Citations•2024•
Clayton Edwards, Rebecca R. Robichaux-Davis
Mathematics Teacher: Learning and Teaching PK-12
Math is about the study of formal systems, the study of what can be deduced from formal systems: given some axioms and some rules of manipulation, what follows?
Abstract
• Formalism: Math is a “game” of string manipulation. The strings (ex: proofs or theorems) themselves are meaningless, though one may attach interpretations to them. Math is about the study of formal systems, the study of what can be deduced from formal systems: given some axioms and some rules of manipulation, what follows? Hilbert was one of the first influential formalists. Most closely related to theoretical computer science.