Postmodern View of Humanistic Mathematics

This article is an investigation of humanism in philosophy of mathematics from the point of view of postmodernism. We claim that humanistic mathematics is compatible with postmodernism which is taking over everything we have, do, or wish. Omar Khayyam, an Iranian mathematician and poet: A Book of Verses underneath the Bough, A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread-and Thou Beside me singing in the WildernessOh, Wilderness were Paradise now! Ah, make the most of what we yet may spend, before we too into the Dust descend; Dust into Dust, and under Dust to lie, Sans Wine, sans Song, sans Singer, and-sans End! Core of General Humanism Humanism is a naturalistic philosophy informed by science, inspired by art, founded on human experience and motivated by compassion. It says that dogmas, ideologies and traditions should be weighed and tested by each individual and not simply accepted on blind faith. Foundations of humanism can be found in the ideas of classical Greek philosophers such as Epicurus and also in Chinese Confucianism. Let’s now declare some main principles of humanism which are consistent with postmodern ideas: • Humanism is a philosophy of those in love with life. Humanism is a philosophy for the here and now and affirms that human beings have the right to give meaning to their own lives. • Humanism believes that human beings possess the power or potentiality of solving their own problems by means of critical thinking applied with courage and vision. • Humanism believes in the unending questioning of basic assumptions and convictions. Humanism is not a new dogma. For humanists there is no area of thought that is not to be explored, questioned, or doubted. • Humanists don't believe the final absolute truth has been revealed to them. On the contrary, they believe that all beliefs are fallible and provisional, and that diversity and dialogue are essential to the process of learning and developing. Thus they value tolerance, pluralism, and openmindedness as positive and beneficial qualities in society. • Humanists recognize that intuitive feelings, speculation, flashes of inspiration, emotion, altered states of consciousness remain useful sources of ideas that can lead us to new ways of looking at the world.