The general order of human cultural progress is: popular thought-philosophy-mathematics-natural science. Of course, it will be staggered in reality, which is counterproductive. But one thing, for example, is that there was no corresponding natural science until there was mathematics. The fastest thing is that mathematics and natural science using this kind of mathematics are created at the same time. But if there is no corresponding mathematics, science will stop here and will not develop.

In fact, from a philosophical point of view, people first perceive and understand those things ideologically, then upgrade them to philosophy, then describe them in precise language, that is, mathematics, and finally solve them by scientific means, which is used and controlled by people.

To put it simply, first understand the world, then master its laws and use them. Perception is to know the world, and natural science is application.

Mathematics plays a very important role in the process from understanding the world to transforming it.