What Links Disciplines Of Literature, Philosophy And...

What links the disciplines of literature, philosophy and mathematics? The answer is, quite simply, fiction. Fiction has probably existed since the human brain was capable of imagination, either for distraction or for the more functional purpose of envisioning hunt scenarios when our nomadic ancestors would need to survive. Fiction can be defined as a literary tool that fools readers or theatre goers into thinking that the author possesses certain knowledge about the world (Plato et al., 1963) but is usually understood as a world or scenario that is created by human imagination. However, that doesn t necessarily make it untrue, as fiction can be based on reality and can become a useful mechanism to convey important messages and help shape†¦show more content†¦Numbers and equations simply to not concretely exist in our world. Maths is, after all, like any written language, glorified scribbling that somehow resonates with meaning in our minds. Take as an example 4 = 2 + 2 . Th is string of symbols translates itself into what we understand is an equation: the two sides of the = sign are the same. However, neither 4 not 2 + 2 exist. They are not visually identical. Yet somehow we accept that connecting them with the = symbol indicates that their numerical value is equivalent. Like fiction, maths merely requires us to suspend our disbelief long enough for us to understand whatever story or message the author is trying to impart. This philosophical position is called Mathematical Fictionalism. Its proponents believe that mathematics are purely fictional but are still functional as long as its purpose is not meant to be a mirror of reality (Leng, 2016). However, this position calls into question the validity of mathematics. Fiction, if assumed completely truthful, becomes a lie. So if mathematics are purely a human made language created to describe phenomena that cannot be described in another language, how can we ascertain its precision and how much power should we give it in a discussion? Mathematical entities do not exist concretely, yet we give them characteristics and magnitudes that allow them to be ranked, ordered and even to interact amongst