What is Real/True? A Response

In her post, Emily explored the "reality" of math and science. I would like to illustrate the construction of these fields.

1+2=3. 4x5=20. 8-5=3. 0+1=1 These statements are mathematical facts, but they have no inherent meaning outside of the meaning that we construct for the numbers. The very concept of 0 was a construction that took mathematicians hundreds of years to create. Indeed, even simple maths, not even moving into advanced mathematical theories, have a very heavy base in human construction and human reason. Much of today's cutting edge math, as well as its applications, are human constructions (including the math at work bringing us this forum of discussion, the internet).

Science becomes a bit more blurry. In one sense, it could be called discovery. After all, it is an exploration of how the world functions. However, our collected knowledge, the language we use to share it and describe it, is itself a human construction. In fact, science has met with its own battles with "flawed" human intellect. For example, it was an accepted scientific fact for hundreds of years that the earth was flat, and that the sun and stars were all above our stationary earth. It is now accepted scientific fact that the earth is round and revolves around the sun.

I do not claim to be able to give a more in-depth analysis than that. I admit, I know little of advanced math or science, and the history of these fields, and someone with more knowledge than I could easily do a better job at explaining this point. I hope to merely serve as a starting point.

To end with a question: Is there any way to escape the construction of any of our systems of knowledge, be it language, history, math, or science?