> Abstract math can diverge from that and can become an exercise in playing with symbols for their own sake.

I have two issues with the implication of this statement:

1. Meaning is inherently subjective. Reality is just a canvas on which sentient beings create their own meaning.

2. There are many, many examples of where “playing with symbols for their own sake” have yielded deep insights. There’s actually some implicit structure (eg the structure of logic) that is intrinsic to the universe we live in.