
Mathematical Thought and its Objects
Charles Parsons(Author)
Cambridge University Press
Published on 17. September 2009
Book
Paperback/Softback
400 pages
978-0-521-11911-5 (ISBN)
Description
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.
Reviews / Votes
'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 & MachinesMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Illustrations
Worked examples or Exercises
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 23 mm
Weight
647 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-521-11911-5 (9780521119115)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Charles Parsons
Mathematical Thought and its Objects
E-Book
03/2008
1st Edition
Cambridge University Press
€44.49
Available for download

Charles Parsons
Mathematical Thought and its Objects
Book
12/2007
Cambridge University Press
€95.30
Shipment within 15-20 days
Person
Charles Parsons holds an AB (mathematics) and PhD (philosophy) from Harvard University and studied for a year at King's College, Cambridge. He was on the faculty at Harvard University from 1962-5 and 1989-2005 and at Columbia University from 1965-89. His publications are mainly in logic, philosophy of mathematics, and Kant. He was an editor of the posthumous works of Kurt Goedel (Collected Works, Volumes III-V).
Author
Edgar Pierce Professor of Philosophy, EmeritusHarvard University, Massachusetts
Content
Preface; 1. Objects and logic; 2. Structuralism and nominalism; 3. Modality and structuralism; 4. A problem about sets; 5. Intuition; 6. Numbers as objects; 7. Intuitive arithmetic and its limits; 8. Mathematical induction; 9. Reason.