Mathematical Thought and its Objects

Charles Parsons author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Cambridge University Press

Published:24th Dec '07

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

This hardback is available in another edition too:

Mathematical Thought and its Objects cover

In Mathematical Thought and its Objects, Charles Parsons examines the notion of object.

In Mathematical Thought and its Objects, Charles Parsons examines the notion of object, with the aim to navigate between nominalism, denying that distinctively mathematical objects exist, and forms of Platonism that postulate a transcendent realm of such objects.Charles Parsons examines the notion of object, with the aim to navigate between nominalism, denying that distinctively mathematical objects exist, and forms of Platonism that postulate a transcendent realm of such objects. He introduces the central mathematical notion of structure and defends a version of the structuralist view of mathematical objects, according to which their existence is relative to a structure and they have no more of a 'nature' than that confers on them. Parsons also analyzes the concept of intuition and presents a conception of it distantly inspired by that of Kant, which describes a basic kind of access to abstract objects and an element of a first conception of the infinite.

'This complete presentation of structuralism as a foundation programme in the philosophy of mathematics enriches significantly the debate and anyone interested in this area of studies will need to consider its relevance.' Minds & Machines

ISBN: 9780521452793

Dimensions: 229mm x 152mm x 25mm

Weight: 760g

400 pages