It is common for people to talk about the world as a representation of mathematics. Not the other way around.
I was recently eating an artichoke and a friend pointed out that the leaves are formed as a reflection of a Fibonacci series. I have also heard similar statements about branching in trees, branching of leaves and seed arrangement in pine cones. You can find variations on a Fibonacci series in seashells and countless other structures.
The Fibonacci series is 0,1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21.. Where each number is the sum of the two previous numbers. The same pattern exists in fractions for calculating the Golden ratio.
A similar parallel power between the real world and math is found in the work of Benoit Mandelbrot’s fractals which closely model shorelines and mountains. Fractals are occasionally used in graphics programs to create such images.
Nevertheless math is not the real world. Math is simply a language that periodically is a good descriptor of real phenomenon.
Einstein is quoted as saying ‘As far as the laws of mathematics refer to reality, they are not certain; and as far as they are certain, they do not refer to reality.’
I’m with Albert. Math is many languages and sometimes a small part maps to a real element.
I was recently eating an artichoke and a friend pointed out that the leaves are formed as a reflection of a Fibonacci series. I have also heard similar statements about branching in trees, branching of leaves and seed arrangement in pine cones. You can find variations on a Fibonacci series in seashells and countless other structures.
The Fibonacci series is 0,1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21.. Where each number is the sum of the two previous numbers. The same pattern exists in fractions for calculating the Golden ratio.
A similar parallel power between the real world and math is found in the work of Benoit Mandelbrot’s fractals which closely model shorelines and mountains. Fractals are occasionally used in graphics programs to create such images.
Nevertheless math is not the real world. Math is simply a language that periodically is a good descriptor of real phenomenon.
Einstein is quoted as saying ‘As far as the laws of mathematics refer to reality, they are not certain; and as far as they are certain, they do not refer to reality.’
I’m with Albert. Math is many languages and sometimes a small part maps to a real element.
