Math is a religion.
Is the universe made of math or is math purely from the human mind?
Well ... If you subscribe to the theory that our reality is merely a computer simulation, then our universe is really made up of 1 and 0 ... Unless they're using a quantum computer.
Math is how we labeled what was observed to be repeatable about a certain thing. I am sure it most likely start with the quantity of items both obtained by gathering and more importantly for trade . . .
1 Potatoe, 2 potatoes, 3 potatoes . . .
That is after man cultivated the potato . . .
Worth a quick read:
Dear Pea Nuts,
I will step out and say no the universe is not made of math, but now because of your interesting question I do want to read Max Tegmark's book Our Mathematical Universe: My Quest for the Ultimate Nature of Reality (2014).
Math is not purely from the human mind either, but is one fascinating, indispensable tool for us to apprehend beauty and a certain level of scientific understanding.
As in Happy's cartoon, there is a religious aspect also; mathematician Johannes Kepler, a key figure in the 17th century scientific revolution, is said to have been "motivated by the religious conviction and belief that God had created the world according to an intelligible plan that is accessible through the natural light of reason."
I believe that mathematics is a way for humans to comprehend our world. It works well, and has not yet failed us (except when you're given a hard question for maths homework and you're sitting there for the next two hours trying to figure it out...). As for an answer to your question, I really don't know. The simple, yet complex structure of maths is what makes it so beautiful and although it may be a figment of our imaginations, it has been just about the basis of civilisation, and many tribal groups, for thousands of years.
