Maths is physics is psychology is chemistry is biology

[slimfandango]

I'd really love to understand this but even with years of thrashing it out I can't say I have a real answer. Can someone please explain what is the relationship between maths, physics, psychology, chemistry, biology, and all the other sciences,after a series of nuclear bombs and there is no one around to run universities/schools, or think about these things. Is maths real? Is psychology different from biology, outside the head of someone thinking about it? How are these things really real? Psychology explains what we are doing when we think, but how is it REALLY different from what chemistry could explain it as. Are sciences just a relativistic human invention?

[sddsddean]

This doesn't really help you, but I was always told if it smells, its chemistry; if it moves, its biology; if it doesn't work, its physics!

[Skids]

Close your eyes and try to make it all go away instead of over complicating it. You'll lead a far more fruitful and interesting life.

[bernardo]

I've just started reading "G�del, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid" by Douglas Hofstadter.  When I've finished, I'll let you know (if I remember).

[Bert]

My old physics teacher used to tell us that mathematics would have no purpose if it were not applied to physics,  and that chemistry was merely applied physics.  Therefore physics is the most important science.  I can see the weakness in this argument.

[slimfandango]

Thanks for the answers, and I'm going to read that book. I have however made a fundamental option in life that I will not accept a more enjoyable and less complicated life if it means a more ignorant one. Apart from anything else, it's selfish and in the long run I suffer as much as the next person for it. Each to their own: you only have one life, and if creating over complex questions for yourself is not your thing (skids), then don't do it.
As a brief example: what do you think the chances are of getting schizophrenia in your life time?
It's 10 PERCENT!!!!
Amazing! The condition is very debilitating for you, your family, and costs society dearly. I have met people who are at the very sharp end of trying to find a cure and the consensus is that a breakthrough will not be made until we understand much more of the relationship between mind and brain...We have a biological entity in our heads, but you cannot rely on biology or neuroscience to explain this 'disorder of mind'. If I get it, or Alzheimers for that matter, I'll be very glad that some people sought answers to the big questions instead of opting for an 'easier life'.
Henyways....back to the question

[magicdice]

if you think about it, maths is the only one that matters - the others are affected by our presence, they're theories based on experimental data and human reasoning, whereas maths is pure unadulterated reality

 

and yes, i am a maths student

[ludwig]

Ultimately, science is just a belief system that we humans have invented to explain the things that happen around us. Imagine there is a planet of highly adanced aliens out there somewhere. They must operate according to the same physical laws, except they have invented different ways of explaining them. For example, they don't have Newton's laws of motion, because they've never heard of Newton, or the planet earth.

[slimfandango]

The point of Newton's laws of motion is neither Newton, or earth, it's that ALL objects in the universe (with very occassional exceptions) obey these laws. A separate question from the laws is what they are actually in reality. We wouldn't go to an aliens house on planet dorg and go, bloody hell, look at the way everything rises to the ceiling.
I suppose it relates to Martin Reese's question about Laws and the Big bang..."which laws occur because of the nature of our Big bang, and which would occur in ANY big bang". It interests me that there is so little interest in question of this sort. Humans, I think, are built to have the gene code within them run the show of their own survival, rather than let humans actually be rational beings who try and work stuff out. Pretty depressing state of affairs. To lie on your deathbed and find out that most of what you believed was an illussion and that you may as well have been living in a dark box, no matter how much fun you had in the process.
And another thing...

[ludwig]

Slimfandango, you're missing my point. I'm not saying that on this other planet the laws wouldn't apply, simply that they'd have to have some completely different way of explaining the same phenomena.

[shandoh]

Without mathematics what possible way could one analyse any other of these sciences.

Yes im a mathematician but it is evident in any case!

[mibn2cweus]

It all boils down to what makes all these things possible, human existence, and this therefore should be its primary motivation and focus.