Reading, writing, mathematics, and cognition are deeply interconnected symbolic systems. Reading involves decoding symbols into meaning; writing involves encoding meaning into symbols; mathematics involves manipulating symbolic relationships according to logical structures; and cognition is the underlying mental architecture that makes all of these processes possible.

Mathematics as Symbolic Cognition

Numbers are symbolic representations much like words. The word 'tree' is not the object itself, and the number '5' is not quantity itself. Both are abstractions represented symbolically within the mind. The brain must recognize symbols, assign meaning, hold relationships in working memory, manipulate abstractions, and predict outcomes.

Shared Cognitive Systems

Reading, writing, and mathematics all depend heavily upon working  ...