Which is more important: Mathematics or Language?

[Inmate]

The level of math we have cannot be achieved in a society where they can't even communicate properly. How the hell do people form coherent thoughts without it? Grunting?


The one that is a key factor in the survival of a social species is obviously more important.

Why do I imagine you yelling those words at the top of your lungs?

Most of what you have said is true. I'm not totally against language. It's just more fair if I don't take sides if I'm the one who made the thread. Why come up with a question to which you already have an answer?

But I guess we would be still uncivilized and slaughtering each other had it not been for language. Actually, language didn't stop Hitler from creating concentration camps and burning people and gasing them alive.

 

[Yeah right]

44 posts in and Hitler was finally mentioned. I think this proves Godwins Law.
Let's take your hitler line another way. If it wasn't for Hitler's use of language, he would not achieve anything. Also, we would not see the rise in science. and thanks to a coordinated assault from different nations, we were able to stop him. Thanks to the ability to communicate.
bTW, I am not pro Hitler, but we must recognize the language tools he used to be able to prevent it happening again.

Let's also take a step back, how many wars are going on right now?

 

[V h o]

Language. How would you even learn math if not taught by someone else? If you mean a new language besides native then math is better somewhat, but language is the foundation for communication.

 

[kimb]

Math > Language

Some ancient Incan tribes communicated with knots and strings called Quipus.

You must be registered for see images

 

[Narushima]

Mathematics is, put simply, the discernment of abstract relations and patterns. It can be communicated, even then only to a limited, extent using language but it’s not language.

Likewise, verbal and mathematical ability are correlated but they are independent abilities – among studies of intellectually gifted children, you will usually find verbal or mathematical dominance (though a minority do show universal giftedness, i.e. both extraordinary verbal and mathematical ability). And many of the mathematically gifted tend to have relatively mediocre verbal ability.

To see the utility of the two as forms of human endeavour, you need only consider the various subjects which are their expressions.

Mathematical ability gives us mathematics but also the physical sciences (science in general is a non-verbal form of relational/pattern recognition), computing, engineering and increasingly economics, too.

Verbal ability finds its greatest expression in literature and philosophy. And while these can be respectable forms of human endeavour – they do not have the same utility as the derivatives of mathematics.

 

[Chikombo]

Math is a langue.

 

[Ambivalence]

I have no idea how anyone can even get through a day without math, while language is far from compulsory.

That is only from a simplistic point of view, however. Math has allowed society to advance far more than languages have in the practical sense, though at the same time it is not pursued nearly as much from the average person as the forms of language are, whether for personal enrichment or purely academic purposes.

 

[Lightbringer]

Math > Language

Some ancient Incan tribes communicated with knots and strings called Quipus.

You must be registered for see images

Mathematics is, put simply, the discernment of abstract relations and patterns. It can be communicated, even then only to a limited, extent using language but it’s not language.

Likewise, verbal and mathematical ability are correlated but they are independent abilities – among studies of intellectually gifted children, you will usually find verbal or mathematical dominance (though a minority do show universal giftedness, i.e. both extraordinary verbal and mathematical ability). And many of the mathematically gifted tend to have relatively mediocre verbal ability.

To see the utility of the two as forms of human endeavour, you need only consider the various subjects which are their expressions.

Mathematical ability gives us mathematics but also the physical sciences (science in general is a non-verbal form of relational/pattern recognition), computing, engineering and increasingly economics, too.

Verbal ability finds its greatest expression in literature and philosophy. And while these can be respectable forms of human endeavour – they do not have the same utility as the derivatives of mathematics.

I have no idea how anyone can even get through a day without math, while language is far from compulsory.

That is only from a simplistic point of view, however. Math has allowed society to advance far more than languages have in the practical sense, though at the same time it is not pursued nearly as much from the average person as the forms of language are, whether for personal enrichment or purely academic purposes.

Math is a language....

 

[BenjerminGaye]

Mathematics can be considered a Lingua franca

Learned that from MGS5

 

[Lightbringer]

Mathematics can be considered a Lingua franca

Learned that from MGS5

I have so much to say about that game. It had the potential to be the greatest MGS....

 

[Conspirator.]

Mathematics is, put simply, the discernment of abstract relations and patterns. It can be communicated, even then only to a limited, extent using language but it’s not language.

Likewise, verbal and mathematical ability are correlated but they are independent abilities – among studies of intellectually gifted children, you will usually find verbal or mathematical dominance (though a minority do show universal giftedness, i.e. both extraordinary verbal and mathematical ability). And many of the mathematically gifted tend to have relatively mediocre verbal ability.

To see the utility of the two as forms of human endeavour, you need only consider the various subjects which are their expressions.

Mathematical ability gives us mathematics but also the physical sciences (science in general is a non-verbal form of relational/pattern recognition), computing, engineering and increasingly economics, too.

Verbal ability finds its greatest expression in literature and philosophy. And while these can be respectable forms of human endeavour – they do not have the same utility as the derivatives of mathematics.

I have to concur with this.

 

[Sagebee]

Mathematics, hands down. Language does not advance us.

You need language for mathematics to have meaning

 

[FreakensteinAG]

You need language for mathematics to have meaning

The thread is asking which is more important, not which is useless. Obviously a language must be provided in order to effectively communicate what mathematics explains, but languages do not advance our culture, technology, standard of living, and knowledge of the universe. All that belongs to Math. Languages and kings come and go, but Math is eternal.

 

[Sagebee]

The thread is asking which is more important, not which is useless. Obviously a language must be provided in order to effectively communicate what mathematics explains, but languages do not advance our culture, technology, standard of living, and knowledge of the universe. All that belongs to Math. Languages and kings come and go, but Math is eternal.

But language is the mechanism we understand and reason, mathematics is important because we give it meaning and give it a language of its own

Of course mathematics is important in the hard sciences to make innovations but thought language reason underlies everything

 

[The Work]

Do you mean the math that applies to the world?

Or the math that applies to elementary kids?

 

[Narushima]

Math is a language....

In the sense that it has syntax and semantics, yes, mathematics is a language. But language so defined will include any system that can encode and convey information - DNA is a language in this sense, too. But I doubt you'd consider DNA as a system of information encoding comparable to natural language. Mathematics is not a natural language because there are things it can describe which are impossible to do in natural language (and the converse is actually true, too). It's difficult for people who have not done advanced mathematics to understand but mathematics is far more visual than verbal (anyone who has done any e.g. tensor calculus will know what I'm talking about).

 

[Caliburn]

This thread makes no sense. It has already been said a couple of times, but math is a type of language. In particular the people who say mathematics is more important are kinda missing the whole point here.

Asking which is more important between mathematics and language is like asking which is more important between football and sports. It makes no sense as football is a sport.

 

[Lightbringer]

In the sense that it has syntax and semantics, yes, mathematics is a language. But language so defined will include any system that can encode and convey information - DNA is a language in this sense, too. But I doubt you'd consider DNA as a system of information encoding comparable to natural language. Mathematics is not a natural language because there are things it can describe which are impossible to do in natural language (and the converse is actually true, too). It's difficult for people who have not done advanced mathematics to understand but mathematics is far more visual than verbal (anyone who has done any e.g. tensor calculus will know what I'm talking about).

Math is classified as a language.

Any form of communication, any value and meaning given to symbols is considered a language. Math has its own vocabulary.

Do not misunderstand what I am saying. I know the value of math and I think both are equally as important as they are in the same category.

This entire thread is asking a pointless question.

 

[shelke]

In the sense that it has syntax and semantics, yes, mathematics is a language. But language so defined will include any system that can encode and convey information - DNA is a language in this sense, too. But I doubt you'd consider DNA as a system of information encoding comparable to natural language. Mathematics is not a natural language because there are things it can describe which are impossible to do in natural language (and the converse is actually true, too). It's difficult for people who have not done advanced mathematics to understand but mathematics is far more visual than verbal (anyone who has done any e.g. tensor calculus will know what I'm talking about).

Language started out as a visual system. Visual grammar is still a proper lingustic aspect of language. Language at its crux is nothing more than a set of symbols. Maths is a language for all intents and purposes. People forget how language was born and focus only on the verbal, when all the media presented to you to sell products is visual in nature. And that's just the tip of the iceberg here.

 

[Michelle]

I'll leave this blank as it is.

What's your verdict to this amazing question?

Maths is amazing. It organise your brain that you will be easy to learn any language. Mathematics is also poetry and beauty <3