ENGLISH

Thinking about Mathematics: The Philosophy of Mathematics

By Stewart Shapiro

Book information

Publisher
Oxford University Press, USA
Year
2000
ISBN
0192893068, 9780192893062
Language
english
Format
PDF
Filesize
25 MB (26391786 bytes)
Pages
328\321
Time added
2013-12-24 15:23:37
Математика;Философия математики

Description

This unique book by Stewart Shapiro looks at a range of philosophical issues and positions concerning mathematics in four comprehensive sections. Part I describes questions and issues about mathematics that have motivated philosophers since the beginning of intellectual history. Part II is an historical survey, discussing the role of mathematics in the thought of such philosophers as Plato, Aristotle, Kant, and Mill. Part III covers the three major positions held throughout the twentieth century: the idea that mathematics is logic (logicism), the view that the essence of mathematics is the rule-governed manipulation of characters (formalism), and a revisionist philosophy that focuses on the mental activity of mathematics (intuitionism). Finally, Part IV brings the reader up-to-date with a look at contemporary developments within the discipline. This sweeping introductory guide to the philosophy of mathematics makes these fascinating concepts accessible to those with little background in either mathematics or philosophy.

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