First, let's all agree to drop the incredibly egotistical, human centric view of reality — the idea that without the human mind, mathematics would not be present in the universe (quantities and ratios would not exist, periodical orbits and sinusoidal waves: gone, spherical stars and planets would beeee... no idea here).
We've carried this unbelievably inflated view of our importance down through the millennia and have yet to shake it. (Take the need for an "observer" in the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics to collapse the "unreal" wave function into reality, for example. And science scoffs at religions having believed in the geocentric model of the universe? Reality does not exist without an observer? That being us? Let us try get over ourselves, shall we?)
So let me be clear. Math is discovered. About this, there can be no rational debate.
However...
I do understand where the "mathematics is created" idea has it roots. And I offer an analogy which may bring peace between the two camps.
Consider the European exploration of our own world. Copenhagen nonsense aside, the rest of the globe existed prior to Europeans "discovering" other continents and seas. This is mathematics — waiting to be discovered.
But to discover and explore these lands requires the creation of an endless array of new tools, techniques, skills, and so forth. These, in turn, allowed explorers to expand their knowledge of and experience in the newly discovered regions.
And now we have a cycle of discovery of new realms and creation of new tools to explore them and learn more about them, leading to yet more discoveries.
We can take this analogy further with modern space exploration. Are we not all willing to accept that we can barely imagine what is yet to be discovered "out there", beyond our pale, blue dot in the backwaters of just this one galaxy among billions? We must be, as we continue to create and advance our set of tools to do so.
Is it not reasonable, therefore, to make the same observations about mathematics? An infinite subject by its very nature?
Ontological mathematics being the basis of all reality, it is the pinnacle of arrogance for some hairless apes to take credit for the existence of math. But I suggest that it is reasonable to be quite proud that we have been able to discover mathematics, comprehend some of it, and create tools and techniques to help us further our understanding.
