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Articles

Conceptual Origami

Andrew Notier unfolds the social construction of mathematics for us.

The beating heart of mathematics, its foundational axiom, is the idea that provides it with precision and efficacy: start with symmetry. Mathematics in its purest form is the manipulation of symmetries through conceptual origami. Through the clever and creative folding of symmetries, brilliant mathematicians create the sometimes beautiful and often critically important constructs through which we understand our universe. When we ask questions of the cosmos using mathematics, we map these symmetries onto the world.

A Handful of Digits

To better appreciate how this works, let us first look at the most ubiquitous symbols of mathematics, commonly known as the cardinal numbers.

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