On 6/18/2018 4:44 AM, Steven Ridgway wrote:
On Mon, Jun 18, 2018 at 01:25 Dr Russell Standish wrote:
> "But presumably the argument is about certain cognitive skills which
helped our species be extraordinarily successful, and also gave us the capability to
understand algebraic topology."
I've always found it a bit mysterious that humans are so good at abstract
mathematics. I can see that the evolutionary pressures to improve tool making
and hunting skills could have given us basic mathematical capabilities - but we
are far better at it than seems reasonable. i.e. it seems a stretch to imagine
our ability to understand differential equations and prove Fermat's last
theorem just fell into place as an accidental by product of something else.
It seems to me that a lot of complex engineering in our brains must exist to
support the level of abstract reasoning we are capable of - and I don't see
much evolutionary advantage to explain how this evolved.
It's not that abstract mathematics provides an evolutionary advantage
(just look at the reproduction rate of mathematicians). But making
persuasive arguments very much does, and logical inference is important
in persuasive argument.
Brent
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