Between Spirit and Matter Intermediate Is Mathematics

Abstract

Mathematics of the first historical civilizations was conspicuously practical. Crucial turn has been initiated by ancient Greeks who chose mathematics (alongside of philosophy) as away of describing the world. Efficiency of that way gave their mathematics an anti-empirical flavor, in turn of which it became idle soon. The change has come only in modern times, when mathematics has been recognized, without loosing its abstract character, as a „language of Nature”. Since that time mathematics keeps a nice balance between ratio and praxis, and its growing significance for exact and natural sciences seems to be an argument against extremism of either naturalism or idealism.