[ukj]

>if you want to classify mathematics as a science on the basis of ... The argument here for math to be a science is very tortured and contrived,

I am not classifying Mathematics as a science on the basis that you claim. I am not even making an argument! All I am doing is empiricism!

I am observing a fact about the universe: What humans call science is any enterprise which builds and systematically organizes knowledge about the universe. I am also observing that Mathematics is one such enterprise. So it's a science.

If you think society's definition of "science" is too broad - that's fine. If you want to use a narrower definition which renders Mathematics a non-science - that's also fine.

But I am still asking why?

Why does it matter whether Mathematics is classified as a science; or a non-science; or a social science; or a natural science?