Reply #194: If you say so, however

[Jose Diablo]

As you said, "Mathematics is not based on faith", what do you call this very basic, almost childish statement in math; the shortest distance between 2 points is a straight line and there can be only one straight line if not a statement of faith. Go ahead, try to prove it using a system of logic.

Now if you cannot prove the above listed statement using logic, then every statement after the basic unproven statement and depending on this statement in it's "proof" must also be based on faith (believing something without being seen, or proved).

To be sure, it seems true in all cases, but if you look deeper, you will see it's not as Reimann showed with his curved space geometry. In this example, he used the statement between 2 lines there are an infinite number of straight and parallel lines. Look at the surface of a globe with the longitudenal lines overlaying the parallel lines between the poles of the globe.

So in all systems of belief, we as humans make basic presumptions about the underlaying reality of the system we are working with. In the above examples, the presumptions are space is a flat plane or space is a positively curved surface.

In the end, we are all in the back of the cave, looking at the shadows and reflections of the greater reality outside the mouth of the cave.

For anyone to state they have the truth, here it is, is not understanding the basic limitations we as humans have in our ability to really know truth.

Repeatability or predictability have nothing to do with a set of "connected" mathematical logical statements. But like I said, although we cannot "prove" logically many things, the scientific method is still way better than any other system of belief we poor superstitious humans have been able to devise.

You are seeking an absolute truth in something, and there is a "truth", but none of us can prove it. Living is an act of faith, everything gets down at it's most basic level to believing in something unprovable or unseen, although many will claim to possess the "truth" none can prove it.

It's the nature of the reality we find ourselves in. It's better if we could all just go about our own business, allowing each other their own form of blindness, without the judgements on others being blind and ignorant because they do not "see" as we do.