Physical Reality As A Reflection Of Purely Mathematical Laws Viewed Through Systemic Functional Linguistics

Penrose (2004: 1028-9):

It will be seen that modern physicists invariably describe things in terms of mathematical models. This is irrespective of which particular family of proposals they may happen to hold to. It is as though they seek to find ‘reality’ within the Platonic world of mathematical ideals. Such a view would seem to be a consequence of any proposed ‘theory of everything’, for then physical reality would appear merely as a reflection of purely mathematical laws. As I have been arguing in this chapter, we are certainly a long way from any such theory, and it is a matter of contention whether anything resembling a ‘theory of everything’ will ever be found. Be that as it may, it is undoubtedly the case that the more deeply we probe Nature’s secrets, the more profoundly we are driven into Plato’s world of mathematical ideals as we seek our understanding. Why is this so? At present, we can only see that as a mystery. It is the first of the three deep mysteries referred to in §1.4, and illustrated in Fig. 1.3, here redrawn and embellished somewhat as Fig. 34.1.

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From the perspective of Systemic Functional Linguistic Theory, there is a distinction between first-order 'reality' (meaning construed of experience) and second-order 'reality' (meaning construed of meaning). The data modelled by physics constitute first-order 'reality' and the physical theories that model the data constitute second-order 'reality'. Mathematical models constitute second-order quantifications of first-order 'reality'. The notion of physical reality as a reflection of purely mathematical laws equates first-order 'reality' with its second-order quantifications.