2014-05-07
Original: 2014-05-07 on Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal
Transcript
Panel 1:
A child lying on the ground, speaking up to a girl with long hair standing over them.
Child: Which came first? Math, or the universe?
Panel 2:
Girl: Math is just a shorthand for what reality does! You could have a totally chaotic universe, which could be described meaningfully by math. If you can have a universe without math, the universe must be prior.
Panel 3:
Child: But, I can invent a math to describe a universe that doesn't exist. The math exists without the universe it describes. So... math is prior.
Panel 4:
Girl: But, I can't invent that math unless I'm already in a universe that permits math. If you can only do math with the universe's permission, then the universe must be prior.
Panel 5:
The child looks up, defeated.
Child: My mom says I don't have permission to not do math.
Panel 6:
Close-up on the girl's face, looking unimpressed.
Girl: She must be a god.
Votey:
A close-up of the girl with long hair, mouth open, speaking.
Girl: I don't believe in your mom.
A child lying on the ground, speaking up to a girl with long hair standing over them.
Child: Which came first? Math, or the universe?
Panel 2:
Girl: Math is just a shorthand for what reality does! You could have a totally chaotic universe, which could be described meaningfully by math. If you can have a universe without math, the universe must be prior.
Panel 3:
Child: But, I can invent a math to describe a universe that doesn't exist. The math exists without the universe it describes. So... math is prior.
Panel 4:
Girl: But, I can't invent that math unless I'm already in a universe that permits math. If you can only do math with the universe's permission, then the universe must be prior.
Panel 5:
The child looks up, defeated.
Child: My mom says I don't have permission to not do math.
Panel 6:
Close-up on the girl's face, looking unimpressed.
Girl: She must be a god.
Votey:
A close-up of the girl with long hair, mouth open, speaking.
Girl: I don't believe in your mom.
Alt text
A six-panel comic, mostly a philosophical argument between a small child (lying on the ground) and a girl with long hair standing over them. The child asks which came first, math or the universe. The girl argues math is just shorthand for what reality does, so the universe must be prior. The child counters that you can invent math describing a non-existent universe, so math is prior. The girl replies you can only do math with the universe's permission, so the universe is prior again. Defeated, the child says 'My mom says I don't have permission to not do math.' The girl, deadpan, concludes 'She must be a god.' Votey: a close-up of the girl's face, mouth open, declaring 'I don't believe in your mom.'
Transcribed by Claude Opus 4.8.