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Why is math so adept at describing the world?
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Posted 2015-02-17, 10:40 AM
Why is math so adept at describing the physical world?

Except for some mathematical concepts which were developed explicitly for the purpose of describing the physical world, many mathematical concepts were developed without any forethought to their application. Yet years down the road they often find application in physics, and their usefulness in discovering new phenomena and accuracy in making predictions is astounding. This is inexplicable and marvelous to me. Why should the universe speak a language invented by us? Regarding this happy coincidence, the Nobel-prize winning physicist Eugene Wigner remarked "It is difficult to avoid the impression that a miracle confronts us here . . . ." It seems difficult to disagree with this without a sufficient explanation for why mathematics is so ridiculously good at describing the physical world.

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