What sort of "existence" do numbers have?

[_Gazelam]

figure 8 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jeq5a8bBh8c

[_Stargazer]

Hello everyone; I'm new here so will do my best in learning to navigate my way around this forum. The subject of mathematics and numbers is as a good a place to start as any. Our observable universe seems to be made up of multiples of items, rather than singles of anything. One could argue that the universe itself is a single entity, however that view could possibly be denounced in the future. It seems that if there is more than a single of anything, we must label that with a number. Otherwise even the number one would be ambigious and would have no use, unless you consider it in conjuction with zero as the present binary computer system employs.

It's all about labels. The cerebral mathematical contstructs that we apply labels to in the patterns and motions that we observe would undoubtedly still exist, even if the intelligence of humans had not evolved to recognize them. Numbers, are indeed, mental constructs and are no more significant, in themselves, basically than calling something "green" or "grass".

Many have pondered, including myself, what form our mathetical system (presently base 10) would be like if we humans (mammals and others) had evolved with 12 fingers and toes. Would 100% now be 120%? What would differential calculas or algebra look like? Would Pi still be 3.1459......? The physical ratio would still be the same but the numerical label applied would most likely be unrecognizable to us.

[_Angus McAwesome]

Whatever you do, don't divide by zero...

[_Gadianton]

A good starting point on this is Okham vs. Duns the Supreme Court on universals. If you can accept that there are universals, then numbers might follow. I think the problem belongs broadly to whatever language is. I don't have an answer.