Is 1+1=2 just a social construct?

[Deleted]

So i had a conversation about social constructs with a friend and he said that 1+1=2 is also just a social construct because it could also be 1+1=5 if the number 5 would replace the 2. And every human should use the numbers they want, not what society wants us to use. Or that its a social construct that we use a toilet instead of taking a dump in the garden or in our pants, because society formed us to do so etc. he also said that it could and should be de-constructed so that it can be normal for society to stop using toilets or any other "unnormal" things like Numbers, toilets, etc because literally everything is opressive and "unreal" because it doesnt exist in nature (humans created it and forced others to use it) and numbers also dont exist in nature, human invented them and thereforce are social constructs and opressive

Opinions?

edit
for me it doesnt make sense and i dont have the same opinions as my friend i think we cant force ourselfs to behave like monkeys again and stop using logic (which is "just a problematic social construct" in his eyes), so i dont see the problem...but maybe thats just me?

[Ryme]

Nope.

These are the 'constructs' of algebraic mathematics: http://www.aaamath.com/ac11.htm
Peano postulates for good measure: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/...1/Peano-axioms
Here's the proof of 1+1=2: http://mathforum.org/library/drmath/view/51551.html

If you mean that the representation of 2 could be 5 and vice versa, then yeah, that's true but it's so obvious it doesn't need to be stated.

[Temp name]

The only reason 1+1=2 is that we agreed that the symbol "1" represents half the value of the symbol "2" when doing mathematics.
If you managed to convince enough people to change so "1" would represent half the value of "5", sure, you could make 1+1=5

[Deleted]

Pretty sure basic math is not a social notion.

[Bolson13]

Ehm, yeah at some point some person invented the character "2" to mean two of something.....

[Authary]

My opinion is that you should get new friends.

[LanToaster]

Mathematics are not a Social Construct. Oo

If you have two Apples, you will have Two apples regardless of the Social Influence. If you add another Apple, its 3.
The "Names" of the Numbers, or the way they are Represented might be something different. But the meaning is always the same. "2" is two, no matter the Language or Social standing.

[Deleted]

So it IS a social construct to use the 1 instead of another number that i want . Society literally forces us to use the 2 even though some people dont like this number and therefore is opressive

[Deleted]

Pigs can fly if you change the definition of 'fly' to mean 'walk'.

[Deleted]

Why do I feel like posting in a legendary troll thread?

[Deleted]

My opinion is that you should get new friends.

I kinda agree, i just want to understand the logic of these people

[Bolson13]

So it IS a social construct to use the 1 instead of another number that i want . Society literally forces us to use the 2 even though some people dont like this number and therefore is opressive

You should drink less cookiedough. I am from the world where cookiedough = weed and drinking = smoking, so you know.

[Deleted]

in medieval they used to shit in the corners of their houses.....and that 2 is just a symbol that could be replaced by any other symbol is pretty obvios.....so what your friend told you is not really a great realization but more so pretty obvios to everyone....what exactly is the point of your thread?

[derpkitteh]

what in the actual fuck am i even reading? is this real life?

if you put a single rubber ball in a basket, then add another single rubber ball into the basket, you have 2 rubber balls. whether or not you call it two, or some other language's version of the word, it will ALWAYS be 2. there's no other way for it to be.

[Deleted]

Yeah, he did not only mean we can change the meaning of the numbers as a society but he said literally every human should be able to use their own numbers when calculating and have their own definitions what this specific number means. society shouldnt force us to think that the 2 has the value of the social construct "2", i can use the 4 for example and on the next day i can use any other number

[YuneKirby]

The name and the symbol are conventional, but the concept of having a single object and then adding another equaling the "concept" of two will always hold true.

[Eyechewer]

It is not a social convention and here's why:

1+1 is not 2. It depends on many things. It depends on which field you are working in (For example, in Galois Field with 2 elements, 1+1=0). Also depends what basis you are working with. In binary, 1+1=10.

but most of all, it depends on the axioms that you assume.

You need to understand that mathematics and an axiomatic system. It is based on a couple of axioms that we assume to be true, and from those axioms we deduce conclusions.

Is it possible that if we assume different axioms we will have another form of mathematics, that is different from the one we have, and yet has no internal conflicts or conradictions? Yes. It is possible. There are many forms of algebra and geometry, and they all depend on the axioms that you assume. If you would assume different axioms, you would reach possible different and yet true conclusions.

So 1+1 is not 2. Not always. It is true that 1+1=2 if we work in the complex field and assume zermelo frenkel or peano, but not always.
There are also many forms of geometry, google "non euclidean geometry".

Source: I'm a mathematician.

[Authary]

I kinda agree, i just want to understand the logic of these people

Logic ? They think math is about mechanically manipulating symbols when said symbols are just used to represent preexisting concepts.

No logic, they're stupid.

[Harthen]

Math is literally the law of nature.

[Pull My Finger]

It's an intellectual construct, not a social one.