This document discusses the relationship between mathematics and ethics. It poses several questions about whether beauty, emotions, and God's creation can be considered mathematical. It also questions how mathematical operations are involved in ethical decision-making and whether decisions supported by mathematics can be considered ethical. The document considers whether mathematics and ethics rely on reason or emotions and whether they seek objective or subjective truths. It outlines some potential arguments regarding the nature of mathematics, ethics and their similarities and differences.

1. MATHEMATICS & ETHICS
SAMI-UD-DIN
M.Phil (I.B FINANCE)
sami.uddin@riphah.edu.pk
+92-333-5952403
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2. WHAT MATHEMATICS BY ITSELF IS?
• Does beauty carry any mathematics? If yeah then what kind of
mathematics it carries?
• If yeah then it means mathematics is beauty and beauty is
mathematics (Proportionality is beauty and mathematics is
proportionality)
• Do all ethical decisions are beautiful decisions?
• How much emotions are mathematical?
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3. DOES GOD MATHEMATICAL IN CREATION OR NOT
• How much is God emotional and mathematical in creation?
• Does the divine creation mathematical (Objective) or emotional (subjective)
• If the divine creation is 100% mathematical (objective) then the universe runs
automatically.
• If the divine creation is 100% emotional then it lacks beauty and is dependent on
the sustenance of God then no mathematics is involved in the creation of God.
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4. EMOTIONS VS. MATHEMATICS
• Think for a while if God created everything
mathematical?
• Think for a while if God created everything emotional?
• What is the actual proportion between mathematics and
emotion in the creation of God?
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5. SOME IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
• How much mathematical operations are involved in making ethical decisions?
• How much mathematics can change unethical decision to an ethical one?
• What are the mathematical standards for ethical and unethical decisions?
• Do all ethical decisions are reasonable decisions or not?
• Do all reasonable decisions are mathematical decisions or not?
• How much inductive decisions are mathematical decisions and how much ethical decisions are
inductive decisions?
• How much deductive decisions are mathematical decisions and how much ethical decisions are
deductive decisions?
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6. HOW MUCH ETHICAL DECISIONS
ARE MATHEMATICALLY JUSTIFIED DECISIONS
‘Through different methods of justification, we reach at
conclusions in ethics that are as well-supported as
those provided in mathematics.’ To what extent would
you agree?
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7. STATUS OF MATHEMATICALLY NOT ETHICAL
DECISIONS
• What is the ethical status of decisions mathematically not supported.
• Do our emotional decisions are mathematically and ethically supported decision?
• How much human emotions are mathematical?
• Do animals have emotions? (deer) if yeah then how much they’re mathematical?
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8. WHAT IS MEANT BY “WELL SUPPORTED”?
•What does well supported mean in
mathematics?
•What does well supported mean in ethics?
•Are there any similarities?
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9. MATHEMATICS VS. ETHICS
Mathematics vs. Ethics
Reason Reason and Emotions
How much emotions are mathematical?
or
How much mathematics is emotional
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10. ETHICS AND MATHEMATICS
Ethics
Compare and contrast
What do mathematics and ethics
have in common?
How do they differ?
Can you think of real life examples to
illustrate your point? Or even better,
can you use a personal anecdote?
Mathematics Ethics
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11. OBJECTIVE VS. SUBJECTIVE
• Where on this range would you place mathematics and ethics?
• Objective Subjective
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12. POSSIBLE ARGUMENTS OR KNOWLEDGE
CLAIMS
Claims
1. Mathematics is always
right
2. Ethics is too “gray”.
Counter-claims
1. Mathematics is not always
right.
2. Ethics can be black and
white if a code is followed
e.g. the bible (or maybe
not)
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13. 3. Ethics relies on emotion, rather
than reason.
4. Mathematics cannot be used to
make ethical decisions.
5. There is no such thing as absolute
truth in ethics, like there is in
mathematics.
3. Ethical conclusions are arrived at
through a process of logical
deduction.
4. Mathematics is used everyday to
make ethical decisions e.g. criminal
trials.
5. There is such a thing as absolute
truth in ethics. E.g. God’s law, the
inner-voice, conscience, most of
the world believe in religious laws
of some kind….
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14. POSSIBLE KNOWLEDGE ISSUES
1. To what extent can ethical conclusions be justified through reason?
2. Can mathematics be used to make ethical decisions?
3. To what extent do knowledge communities value
4. conclusions arrived at through emotion rather than reason?
5. Do mathematics and ethics seek the same kind of knowledge?
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15. POSSIBLE ANSWERS TO THE QUESTION
• Solutions to ethical dilemmas can be arrived at through deductive reasoning,
inductive reasoning, emotions or an amalgam of any or all three.
• Solutions to mathematical problems can only be found through reasoning,
preferably deductive.
• If a conclusion is arrived at in ethics through a process of deductive reasoning,
then it could be said to be “as well-supported as those provided in mathematics”.
• However, Monty Python’s “she’s a witch” sketch illustrates that even deductive
reasoning can be faulty. It all depends on the original propositions or axioms of
the argument.
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