[horsawlarway]

I find this answer to be true, but misguided. In particular, this type of answer was the exact thing that turned me off of math for YEARS.

Maths DO have a why - We needed way to describe and model the world around us, and math was a requirement to do that.

Now - once the model and rules are put in place - Fine, you can bugger off and be as self-referential and contained as you'd like - "There is no why!"...

But lets be clear - there ABSOLUTELY is a why, and the second the world around you no longer matches the model of your maths, we start debating whether or not to throw the thing in the trash and make new rules (see set theory as the classic example...)