What would a world without mathematics be like?

Human thought and action have been influenced by mathematics since the dawn of time. As mathematics symbolizes order and pattern, its absence would lead to chaos and inhabitation. The universe interacts and represents itself through math: Euclidean geometry represents space1, for example; if math were eliminated, our only connection to the universe would disappear. As the language of nature and the basis of all technical advancements2, mathematics is not a merely abstract concept to torture students but is a way of life. Aside from science, mathematics also encompasses the arts and literature, and it is limitless. Technology is inextricably connected to math. In many ways, the world is a result of math. Without math, artificial intelligence would not exist. Computer science is the culmination of a branch of math, symbolic logic, which is instrumental in producing technology3. Moreover, mathematics is applied beyond classical sciences to fields such as medical physics and biomolecular science; differential equations play a role in diffusivity as well as in nerve impulses4. The beauty of math is that it can show up in unexpected places: for instance, some of Heisenberg’s computation rules are formally identical to the matrices-based rules that were developed long ago by mathematicians5. A world without math would be impossible: no devices, no electricity, no satellite navigation, no sports, no construction, no science, nothing. A human brain is also capable of detecting the rhythm of motion of objects in addition to tracking their speed6. Consequently, humans perform complex mathematical functions subconsciously while performing daily tasks; math is essential for the ability to walk, catch a ball, have reflex actions, etc. Mathematics is an art of abstraction, which is at the very core of all intellectual activity. Ancient farmers based their planting schedules on patterns and math derived from the study of astronomical cycles in the sky by using a calendar based on astronomical data7. With no math, there would be insufficient crops, resulting in famine and death. Mathematics is rooted in nature and is aesthetically pleasing. Fractals, an aesthetic branch of geometry, manifest themselves in nature at a wide range of scales from spiral galaxies to pulmonary structure, and they can be insightful for biologists. They can analyze the pattern of growth of bacteria, for example, and predict future growth8. Despite the belief that math and literature do not share a relationship, researchers at the Institute of Nuclear Physics in Poland have discovered that Finnigans Wake follows a grammatical pattern similar to multifractals9. The calculus limit is comparable to the total understanding of math; we can never reach it, but we can get infinitely close to it. In the light of the points above, a life without can be equated to a soulless life; this is why mathematics cannot be regarded as a monotonous subject but as an awakening universal language. Because we will cease to exist when math ends, staying connected to math makes us connected to life.