This is an excellent explanation. Why is it not obvious to everyone?
It may
be that the word "math" is a problem. People who are not mathematicians of some
sort often have a narrow view of what math is. E.g. If it's not finding a real
number to interpret "x" to satisfy an arithmetic equation, then it's not
math.
Some philosophers (e.g. Whitehead and Russell) would say that
Mathematics is a branch of Logic, others (e.g. Chang and Keisler) would say the
reverse. In either case maybe Logic would be a better word to use whan trying
to communicate the idea.
Or maybe "Information" would be a better
word.
Or "Symbols".
The important question is: can this thing be encoded
in different media, copied and transmitted. or is it a physical object with
mass, position, and velocity.
Omnis enim res, quae dando non
deficit, dum habetur et non datur, nondum habetur, quomodo habenda
est
Anything that is not diminished when given away, is not really owned if
it is only kept and not shared
— St. Augustine of
Hippo
— Programmer in Chief
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