Mathematics Is the Science of Order

Writing for Scientific American, Amir Alexander argues that mathematics is the science of order and that, as such, it is useful in ordering our lives, our societies, and our world.

After citing the opinions of such luminaries as Jacobi, Galois, and Hardy on the subject of math's usefulness, Alexander offers a handful of examples of ways mathematics played a role in politics, shaped cultural trends, and influenced city planning.

He concludes: 

This is just a short sample of the ways mathematics has shaped people’s lives over generations, but I hope it is enough to show that mathematics does indeed matter. Not just because its results might one day be used to create powerful technologies. But because our search for order and meaning, which is the sum total of human history, always brings us back to mathematics.

Read the piece.