Objects: a study in Kantian formal epistemology (Q691124)

The authors propose a new approach to formal epistemology which combines a neo-Kantian route to knowledge with formal topology. The neo-Kantian inspiration is highlighted by placing the knowing subject at the center of the knowledge process; that is, by describing, within the framework of formal topology, how the knowing subject ``constitutes'' empirical objects and how he ``constructs'' mathematical objects. The main idea is to represent objects by sets of bunches of properties, that is, by basic tokens of information that the knowing subject can express on objects. A crucial aspect is that the objects are treated in a ``point-free'' fashion. As formal topology takes the notion of basic open as primitive, and sees the notion of point as derived from the former, similarly here the authors represent the objects in terms of bunches of properties, thus vindicating the centrality of the knowing subject. The authors present an infinitary logical system which serves as logic for the knowing subject. They finally show how some mathematical objects (e.g. real numbers) are constructed and some empirical objects are constituted on the basis of appropriate sets of initial axioms.