Universality of Mathematics among Sentient Races

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Krunchyman
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"Mathematics is the gate and key to the sciences", Robert Bacon said. That statement is as relevant today as it was 800 years ago. Human culture changes but mathematics is forever. Mathematical beauty will be as relevant to mathematicians and poets today as it was thousands of years ago. Surely among the thousands of stars is a civilization all unlike ours save for mathematics. Imagine that civilization imagining us in every way different save our mathematical poetries. Perhaps some day we will meet and find common interest in the most fundamental of sciences, mathematics. Truly that would be a wonderful day.

If we did find sentient life in our galaxy, how would they appear to us? Would we see the representatives of their race as intelligent machines? Would they communicate to us on the same frequencies that we do? Surely our most fundamental understanding of the universe would be shared. Surely our human condition may, in some areas, overlap with theirs. As a great scientist once also said, I find that it is not difficult to imagine that life exists but the difficulty lies in imagining what it might be like.
 
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