In very broad terms, this is part of an age-old debate in the philosophy of science about how mathematics should be interpreted - instrumentalists (manipulating symbols) versus realists (mathematics underpins objective reality).<p>Realism is obviously popular because any viewpoint which attaches grandiose &quot;meaning&quot; and &quot;purpose&quot; to things is bound to be more popular over what is seen as &quot;colder&quot; and analytic.<p>There&#x27;s actually several sides, but those two are the main ones.<p>EDIT:<p>In addition,<p><i>For a creator God, we are left to ask who created the creator - but if the universe is a mathematical object, it needs no creator (on Platonism at least), so this is a very satisfying answer to that eternal question. It has always existed and will always exist outside of space-time as a mathematical construct.</i><p>No. In fact, a lot of people who subscribe to creationism make the exact same argument - that God has always existed outside of space-time and requires no creator. Your handwaving this in the same fashion is not a satisfying answer in the slightest.