As Christians, it is of utmost importance that we thoughtfully study how we know what we know. In order to be able to give proper defense of our faith, we must be able to articulate why we believe what we believe, rather than absentmindedly resigning to our Christian worldview. This articulation of our beliefs is essential within the bounds of our respective fields as we often fail to recognize the underlying philosophical natures in the disciplines to which we devote the most time. Therefore, I have sought to develop my own Christian philosophy of mathematics by defining math, analyzing what can be learned about God from math, and discussing why there is no fundamental issue behind Christians using secular math textbooks.
Math is much more …show more content…
While the physical representations of math can be all seen around us in the world, the descriptions of and the calculations involved with the math that we see are abstract concepts. Yet those concepts never cease to be consistent. Therefore, many have come to describe math as the “language of the universe.” Over the course of history, mathematicians have come to discover even more abstract concepts, the applications of which are less obvious in the world around us. However, those concepts did not fail to be true before they were discovered, neither did their applications fail to hold. Therefore, mathematics is both abstract and absolutely consistent.
In addition to math being the underlying description of everything, it is also a discipline of logical thinking. The proofs of even the most basic theorems are completely logical, and the solving of math exercises follows logical steps to obtain the answer. This logical requirement necessarily verifies the consistency of math since all theorems must be proved, and they must be proved with logical accuracy. Because of the logical foundation of math, the practice of math reinforces logical thinking and problem solving in a way that few other academic disciplines can …show more content…
While mathematicians have discovered more math than most people could imagine, they will never reach the “end” of math. Similarly, God’s infinite nature, transcendence, and holiness make Him incomprehensible to finite and sinful man. However, the fact that we can easily see some of the applications of math in the world around us points to the fact that God is also immanent. Isaiah 57:15 says “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” Although God is infinitely more holy than His creation, He is also near to His creation, and He reveals Himself in His Creation (and in mathematics) if we let ourselves
Math is much more …show more content…
While the physical representations of math can be all seen around us in the world, the descriptions of and the calculations involved with the math that we see are abstract concepts. Yet those concepts never cease to be consistent. Therefore, many have come to describe math as the “language of the universe.” Over the course of history, mathematicians have come to discover even more abstract concepts, the applications of which are less obvious in the world around us. However, those concepts did not fail to be true before they were discovered, neither did their applications fail to hold. Therefore, mathematics is both abstract and absolutely consistent.
In addition to math being the underlying description of everything, it is also a discipline of logical thinking. The proofs of even the most basic theorems are completely logical, and the solving of math exercises follows logical steps to obtain the answer. This logical requirement necessarily verifies the consistency of math since all theorems must be proved, and they must be proved with logical accuracy. Because of the logical foundation of math, the practice of math reinforces logical thinking and problem solving in a way that few other academic disciplines can …show more content…
While mathematicians have discovered more math than most people could imagine, they will never reach the “end” of math. Similarly, God’s infinite nature, transcendence, and holiness make Him incomprehensible to finite and sinful man. However, the fact that we can easily see some of the applications of math in the world around us points to the fact that God is also immanent. Isaiah 57:15 says “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” Although God is infinitely more holy than His creation, He is also near to His creation, and He reveals Himself in His Creation (and in mathematics) if we let ourselves