> The universe was here before people existed. But it didn't operate
> according to mathematical laws, it just operated, period. Laws (unlike
> Plato's Forms), however, exist only in human brains; they represent our
> collective effort (never complete, never exact) to understand that
> operating of the universe. No human brains, no laws, mathematical or
> otherwise. It has been a long time since I read the _Anti-Duhring_, but
> as I understood it at the time, Engels held to this position: i.e., he
> held that the belief in the non-mental existence of laws led to
> idealism. The universe is extra-mental; laws are mental.
>
> Carrol
Patterns and regularities existed before people did. Then we came along, observed them, and attempted to describe them--and we needed mathematics to do it, just like (I'd imagine) any other intelligent being would've.
-- Luke