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Books > Science & Mathematics > Mathematics > Philosophy of mathematics
This book is the “Study Book†of ICMI-Study no. 20, which was run in cooperation with the International Congress on Industry and Applied Mathematics (ICIAM). The editors were the co-chairs of the study (Damlamian, Straesser) and the organiser of the Study Conference (Rodrigues). The text contains a comprehensive report on the findings of the Study Conference, original plenary presentations of the Study Conference, reports on the Working Groups and selected papers from all over world. This content was selected by the editors as especially pertinent to the study each individual chapter represents a significant contribution to current research.
This work examines the main directions of research conducted on the history of mathematics education. It devotes substantial attention to research methodologies and the connections between this field and other scholarly fields. The results of a survey about academic literature on this subject are accompanied by a discussion of what has yet to be done and problems that remain unsolved. The main topics you will find in "ICME-13 Topical Survey" include: * Discussions of methodological issues in the history of mathematics education and of the relation between this field and other scholarly fields. * The history of the formation and transformation of curricula and textbooks as a reflection of trends in social-economic, cultural and scientific-technological development. * The influence of politics, ideology and economics on the development of mathematics education, from a historical perspective. * The history of the preeminent mathematics education organizations and the work of leading figures in mathematics education. * Mathematics education practices and tools and the preparation of mathematics teachers, from a historical perspective.
This collection of essays examines logic and its philosophy. The author investigates the nature of logic not only by describing its properties but also by showing philosophical applications of logical concepts and structures. He evaluates what logic is and analyzes among other aspects the relations of logic and language, the status of identity, bivalence, proof, truth, constructivism, and metamathematics. With examples concerning the application of logic to philosophy, he also covers semantic loops, the epistemic discourse, the normative discourse, paradoxes, properties of truth, truth-making as well as theology, being and logical determinism. The author concludes with a philosophical reflection on nothingness and its modelling.
To Infinity and Beyond explores the idea of infinity in mathematics and art. Eli Maor examines the role of infinity, as well as its cultural impact on the arts and sciences. He evokes the profound intellectual impact the infinite has exercised on the human mind--from the "horror infiniti" of the Greeks to the works of M. C. Escher; from the ornamental designs of the Moslems, to the sage Giordano Bruno, whose belief in an infinite universe led to his death at the hands of the Inquisition. But above all, the book describes the mathematician's fascination with infinity--a fascination mingled with puzzlement.
In recent years there have been a number of books-both anthologies and monographs-that have focused on the Liar Paradox and, more generally, on the semantic paradoxes, either offering proposed treatments to those paradoxes or critically evaluating ones that occupy logical space. At the same time, there are a number of people who do great work in philosophy, who have various semantic, logical, metaphysical and/or epistemological commitments that suggest that they should say something about the Liar Paradox, yet who have said very little, if anything, about that paradox or about the extant projects involving it. The purpose of this volume is to afford those philosophers the opportunity to address what might be described as reflections on the Liar.
A sophisticated, original introduction to the philosophy of mathematics from one of its leading contemporary scholars Mathematics is one of humanity's most successful yet puzzling endeavors. It is a model of precision and objectivity, but appears distinct from the empirical sciences because it seems to deliver nonexperiential knowledge of a nonphysical reality of numbers, sets, and functions. How can these two aspects of mathematics be reconciled? This concise book provides a systematic yet accessible introduction to the field that is trying to answer that question: the philosophy of mathematics. Written by Oystein Linnebo, one of the world's leading scholars on the subject, the book introduces all of the classical approaches to the field, including logicism, formalism, intuitionism, empiricism, and structuralism. It also contains accessible introductions to some more specialized issues, such as mathematical intuition, potential infinity, the iterative conception of sets, and the search for new mathematical axioms. The groundbreaking work of German mathematician and philosopher Gottlob Frege, one of the founders of analytic philosophy, figures prominently throughout the book. Other important thinkers whose work is introduced and discussed include Immanuel Kant, John Stuart Mill, David Hilbert, Kurt Godel, W. V. Quine, Paul Benacerraf, and Hartry H. Field. Sophisticated but clear and approachable, this is an essential introduction for all students and teachers of philosophy, as well as mathematicians and others who want to understand the foundations of mathematics.
This is a collection of new investigations and discoveries on the theory of opposition (square, hexagon, octagon, polyhedra of opposition) by the best specialists from all over the world. The papers range from historical considerations to new mathematical developments of the theory of opposition including applications to theology, theory of argumentation and metalogic.
In this book the classical Greek construction problems are explored in a didactical, enquiry based fashion using Interactive Geometry Software (IGS). The book traces the history of these problems, stating them in modern terminology. By focusing on constructions and the use of IGS the reader is confronted with the same problems that ancient mathematicians once faced. The reader can step into the footsteps of Euclid, Viete and Cusanus amongst others and then by experimenting and discovering geometric relationships far exceed their accomplishments. Exploring these problems with the neusis-method lets him discover a class of interesting curves. By experimenting he will gain a deeper understanding of how mathematics is created. More than 100 exercises guide him through methods which were developed to try and solve the problems. The exercises are at the level of undergraduate students and only require knowledge of elementary Euclidean geometry and pre-calculus algebra. It is especially well-suited for those students who are thinking of becoming a mathematics teacher and for mathematics teachers.
Think of a number between one and ten. No, hang on, let's make this interesting. Between zero and infinity. Even if you stick to the whole numbers, there are a lot to choose from - an infinite number in fact. Throw in decimal fractions and infinity suddenly gets an awful lot bigger (is that even possible?) And then there are the negative numbers, the imaginary numbers, the irrational numbers like pi which never end. It literally never ends. The world of numbers is indeed strange and beautiful. Among its inhabitants are some really notable characters - pi, e, the "imaginary" number i and the famous golden ratio to name just a few. Prime numbers occupy a special status. Zero is very odd indeed: is it a number, or isn't it? How Numbers Work takes a tour of this mind-blowing but beautiful realm of numbers and the mathematical rules that connect them. Not only that, but take a crash course on the biggest unsolved problems that keep mathematicians up at night, find out about the strange and unexpected ways mathematics influences our everyday lives, and discover the incredible connection between numbers and reality itself. ABOUT THE SERIES New Scientist Instant Expert books are definitive and accessible entry points to the most important subjects in science; subjects that challenge, attract debate, invite controversy and engage the most enquiring minds. Designed for curious readers who want to know how things work and why, the Instant Expert series explores the topics that really matter and their impact on individuals, society, and the planet, translating the scientific complexities around us into language that's open to everyone, and putting new ideas and discoveries into perspective and context.
Since their inception, the Perspectives in Logic and Lecture Notes in Logic series have published seminal works by leading logicians. Many of the original books in the series have been unavailable for years, but they are now in print once again. This volume, the second publication in the Lecture Notes in Logic series, is the proceedings of the Association for Symbolic Logic meeting held in Helsinki, Finland, in July 1990. It contains eighteen papers by leading researchers, covering all fields of mathematical logic from the philosophy of mathematics, through model theory, proof theory, recursion theory, and set theory, to the connections of logic to computer science. The articles published here are still widely cited and continue to provide ideas for ongoing research projects.
 From the Preface: “There are three volumes. The first one contains a curriculum vitae, a «Brève Analyse des Travaux» and a Iist of publications, including books and seminars. In addition the volume contains all papers of H. Cartan on analytic functions published before 1939. The other papers on analytic functions, e.g. those on Stein manifolds and coherent sheaves, make up the second volume. The third volume contains, with a few exceptions, all further papers of H. Cartan; among them is a reproduction of exposés 2 to 11 of his 1954/55 Seminar on Eilenberg-MacLane algebras. Each volume is arranged in chronological order. The reader should be aware that these volumes do not fully reflect H. Cartan's work, a large part of which is also contained in his fifteen ENS-Seminars (1948-1964) and in his book "Homological Algebra" with S. Eilenberg... Still, we trust that mathematicians throughout the world will welcome the availability of the "Oeuvres" of a mathematician whose writing and teaching has had such an influence on our generation.â€
From the Preface: "There are three volumes. The first one contains a curriculum vitae, a "Breve Analyse des Travaux" and a Iist of publications, including books and seminars. In addition the volume contains all papers of H. Cartan on analytic functions published before 1939. The other papers on analytic functions, e.g. those on Stein manifolds and coherent sheaves, make up the second volume. The third volume contains, with a few exceptions, all further papers of H. Cartan; among them is a reproduction of exposes 2 to 11 of his 1954/55 Seminar on Eilenberg-MacLane algebras. Each volume is arranged in chronological order. The reader should be aware that these volumes do not fully reflect H. Cartan's work, a large part of which is also contained in his fifteen ENS-Seminars (1948-1964) and in his book "Homological Algebra" with S. Eilenberg...Still, we trust that mathematicians throughout the world will welcome the availability of the "Oeuvres" of a mathematician whose writing and teaching has had such an influence on our generation."
From the Preface: "There are three volumes. The first one contains a curriculum vitae, a "Breve Analyse des Travaux" and a Iist of publications, including books and seminars. In addition the volume contains all papers of H. Cartan on analytic functions published before 1939. The other papers on analytic functions, e.g. those on Stein manifolds and coherent sheaves, make up the second volume. The third volume contains, with a few exceptions, all further papers of H. Cartan; among them is a reproduction of exposes 2 to 11 of his 1954/55 Seminar on Eilenberg-MacLane algebras. Each volume is arranged in chronological order. The reader should be aware that these volumes do not fully reflect H. Cartan's work, a large part of which is also contained in his fifteen ENS-Seminars (1948-1964) and in his book "Homological Algebra" with S. Eilenberg...Still, we trust that mathematicians throughout the world will welcome the availability of the "Oeuvres" of a mathematician whose writing and teaching has had such an influence on our generation."
Sofia Kovalevskaya was a brilliant and determined young Russian woman of the 19th century who wanted to become a mathematician and who succeeded, in often difficult circumstances, in becoming arguably the first woman to have a professional university career in the way we understand it today. This memoir, written by a mathematician who specialises in symplectic geometry and integrable systems, is a personal exploration of the life, the writings and the mathematical achievements of a remarkable woman. It emphasises the originality of Kovalevskaya's work and assesses her legacy and reputation as a mathematician and scientist. Her ideas are explained in a way that is accessible to a general audience, with diagrams, marginal notes and commentary to help explain the mathematical concepts and provide context. This fascinating book, which also examines Kovalevskaya's love of literature, will be of interest to historians looking for a treatment of the mathematics, and those doing feminist or gender studies.
In this new text, Steven Givant—the author of several acclaimed books, including works co-authored with Paul Halmos and Alfred Tarski—develops three theories of duality for Boolean algebras with operators. Givant addresses the two most recognized dualities (one algebraic and the other topological) and introduces a third duality, best understood as a hybrid of the first two. This text will be of interest to graduate students and researchers in the fields of mathematics, computer science, logic, and philosophy who are interested in exploring special or general classes of Boolean algebras with operators. Readers should be familiar with the basic arithmetic and theory of Boolean algebras, as well as the fundamentals of point-set topology.
A sophisticated, original introduction to the philosophy of mathematics from one of its leading thinkers Mathematics is a model of precision and objectivity, but it appears distinct from the empirical sciences because it seems to deliver nonexperiential knowledge of a nonphysical reality of numbers, sets, and functions. How can these two aspects of mathematics be reconciled? This concise book provides a systematic, accessible introduction to the field that is trying to answer that question: the philosophy of mathematics. Oystein Linnebo, one of the world's leading scholars on the subject, introduces all of the classical approaches to the field as well as more specialized issues, including mathematical intuition, potential infinity, and the search for new mathematical axioms. Sophisticated but clear and approachable, this is an essential book for all students and teachers of philosophy and of mathematics.
Think of a number, any number, or properties like fragility and humanity. These and other abstract entities are radically different from concrete entities like electrons and elbows. While concrete entities are located in space and time, have causes and effects, and are known through empirical means, abstract entities like meanings and possibilities are remarkably different. They seem to be immutable and imperceptible and to exist "outside" of space and time. This book provides a comprehensive critical assessment of the problems raised by abstract entities and the debates about existence, truth, and knowledge that surround them. It sets out the key issues that inform the metaphysical disagreement between platonists who accept abstract entities and nominalists who deny abstract entities exist. Beginning with the essentials of the platonist-nominalist debate, it explores the key arguments and issues informing the contemporary debate over abstract reality: arguments for platonism and their connections to semantics, science, and metaphysical explanation the abstract-concrete distinction and views about the nature of abstract reality epistemological puzzles surrounding our knowledge of mathematical entities and other abstract entities. arguments for nominalism premised upon concerns about paradox, parsimony, infinite regresses, underdetermination, and causal isolation nominalist options that seek to dispense with abstract entities. Including chapter summaries, annotated further reading, and a glossary, Abstract Entities is essential reading for anyone seeking a clear and authoritative introduction to the problems raised by abstract entities.
Towards Non-Being presents an account of the semantics of intentional language-verbs such as 'believes', 'fears', 'seeks', 'imagines'. Graham Priest tackles problems concerning intentional states which are often brushed under the carpet in discussions of intentionality, such as their failure to be closed under deducibility. Priest's account draws on the work of the late Richard Routley (Sylvan), and proceeds in terms of objects that may be either existent or non-existent, at worlds that may be either possible or impossible. Since Russell, non-existent objects have had a bad press in Western philosophy; Priest mounts a full-scale defence. In the process, he offers an account of both fictional and mathematical objects as non-existent. The book will be of central interest to anyone who is concerned with intentionality in the philosophy of mind or philosophy of language, the metaphysics of existence and identity, the philosophy or fiction, the philosophy of mathematics, or cognitive representation in AI. This updated second edition adds ten new chapters to the original eight. These further develop the ideas of the first edition, reply to critics, and explore new areas of relevance. New topics covered include: conceivability, realism/antirealism concerning non-existent objects, self-deception, and the verb to be.
Two features of mathematics stand out: its menagerie of seemingly
eternal objects (numbers, spaces, patterns, functions, categories,
morphisms, graphs, and so on), and the hieroglyphics of special
notations, signs, symbols, and diagrams associated with them. The
author challenges the widespread belief in the extra-human origins
of these objects and the understanding of mathematics as either a
purely mental activity about them or a formal game of manipulating
symbols. Instead, he argues that mathematics is a vast and unique
man-made imagination machine controlled by writing.
An entertaining history of mathematics as chronicled through fifty short biographies. Mathematics today is the fruit of centuries of brilliant insights by men and women whose personalities and life experiences were often as extraordinary as their mathematical achievements. This entertaining history of mathematics chronicles those achievements through fifty short biographies that bring these great thinkers to life while making their contributions understandable to readers with little math background. Among the fascinating characters profiled are Isaac Newton (1642-1727), the founder of classical physics and infinitesimal calculus--he frequently quarreled with fellow scientists and was obsessed by alchemy and arcane Bible interpretation; Sophie Germain (1776 - 1831), who studied secretly at the Ecole Polytechnique in Paris, using the name of a previously enrolled male student--she is remembered for her work on Fermat's Last Theorem and on elasticity theory; Emmy Noether (1882 - 1935), whom Albert Einstein described as the most important woman in the history of mathematics--she made important contributions to abstract algebra and in physics she clarified the connection between conservation laws and symmetry; and Srinivasa Ramanujan (1887-1920), who came from humble origins in India and had almost no formal training, yet made substantial contributions to mathematical analysis, number theory, infinite series, and continued fractions. The unusual behavior and life circumstances of these and many other intriguing personalities make for fascinating reading and a highly enjoyable introduction to mathematics.
Michael G. Titelbaum presents a new Bayesian framework for modeling rational degrees of belief, called the Certainty-Loss Framework. Subjective Bayesianism is epistemologists' standard theory of how individuals should change their degrees of belief over time. But despite the theory's power, it is widely recognized to fail for situations agents face every day-cases in which agents forget information, or in which they assign degrees of belief to self-locating claims. Quitting Certainties argues that these failures stem from a common source: the inability of Conditionalization (Bayesianism's traditional updating rule) to model claims' going from certainty at an earlier time to less-than-certainty later on. It then presents a new Bayesian updating framework that accurately represents rational requirements on agents who undergo certainty loss. Titelbaum develops this new framework from the ground up, assuming little technical background on the part of his reader. He interprets Bayesian theories as formal models of rational requirements, leading him to discuss both the elements that go into a formal model and the general principles that link formal systems to norms. By reinterpreting Bayesian methodology and altering the theory's updating rules, Titelbaum is able to respond to a host of challenges to Bayesianism both old and new. These responses lead in turn to deeper questions about commitment, consistency, and the nature of information. Quitting Certainties presents the first systematic, comprehensive Bayesian framework unifying the treatment of memory loss and context-sensitivity. It develops this framework, motivates it, compares it to alternatives, then applies it to cases in epistemology, decision theory, the theory of identity, and the philosophy of quantum mechanics.
This volume contains six new and fifteen previously published essays -- plus a new introduction -- by Storrs McCall. Some of the essays were written in collaboration with E. J. Lowe of Durham University. The essays discuss controversial topics in logic, action theory, determinism and indeterminism, and the nature of human choice and decision. Some construct a modern up-to-date version of Aristotle's bouleusis, practical deliberation. This process of practical deliberation is shown to be indeterministic but highly controlled and the antithesis of chance. Others deal with the concept of branching four-dimensional space-time, explain non-local influences in quantum mechanics, or reconcile God's omniscience with human free will. The eponymous first essay contains the proof of a fact that in 1931 Kurt Godel had claimed to be unprovable, namely that the set of arithmetic truths forms a consistent system."
Change, Choice and Inference unifies lively and significant strands of research in logic, philosophy, economics and artificial intelligence.
Paolo Mancosu presents a series of innovative studies in the history and the philosophy of logic and mathematics in the first half of the twentieth century. The Adventure of Reason is divided into five main sections: history of logic (from Russell to Tarski); foundational issues (Hilbert's program, constructivity, Wittgenstein, Goedel); mathematics and phenomenology (Weyl, Becker, Mahnke); nominalism (Quine, Tarski); semantics (Tarski, Carnap, Neurath). Mancosu exploits extensive untapped archival sources to make available a wealth of new material that deepens in significant ways our understanding of these fascinating areas of modern intellectual history. At the same time, the book is a contribution to recent philosophical debates, in particular on the prospects for a successful nominalist reconstruction of mathematics, the nature of finitist intuition, the viability of alternative definitions of logical consequence, and the extent to which phenomenology can hope to account for the exact sciences. |
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