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lockecole
Dec17-04, 10:24 PM
John Nash proved you have to think not only about yourself.

Is possible to prove that people should be ethical with mathematics?

If somebody proved that absolute truth exists and, for example, economists read another proof written in business language that they should choose to follow the path of peace and love instead of war and hate, would economists ignore both proofs?

Since the intellectual elite and the rich elite study mathematics, can mathematics be the bridge between them?

JasonRox
Dec17-04, 11:37 PM
John Nash proved you have to think not only about yourself.

Is possible to prove that people should be ethical with mathematics?

If somebody proved that absolute truth exists and, for example, economists read another proof written in business language that they should choose to follow the path of peace and love instead of war and hate, would economists ignore both proofs?

Since the intellectual elite and the rich elite study mathematics, can mathematics be the bridge between them?

A proof means nothing to an ignorant person.

HallsofIvy
Dec18-04, 08:51 AM
You can "prove" anything with mathematics.

You cannot, however, mathematically prove that a specific mathematical model is exactly true for any specific real world application.

So: no, you cannot prove that people should be ethical with mathematics.

YOU can prove that given certain assumptions about what WILL HAPPEN IF people behave in a certain way, then the best overall outcome will be if people ....

Of course, it is precisely those (non-mathematical) assumptions about what "WILL HAPPEN IF" that everyone argues about!

Bob3141592
Dec19-04, 10:55 PM
John Nash proved you have to think not only about yourself.

Is possible to prove that people should be ethical with mathematics?

If somebody proved that absolute truth exists and, for example, economists read another proof written in business language that they should choose to follow the path of peace and love instead of war and hate, would economists ignore both proofs?

Since the intellectual elite and the rich elite study mathematics, can mathematics be the bridge between them?

Who said that economists follow the path of war and hate?