Some naturalistic reflections on set theoretic method

DOI10.1023/A:1010604808920MaRDI QIDQ5950499zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors Penelope Maddy

Publication date 18 December 2001

Published in Topoi (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1010604808920

zbMATH Keywords

acceptability of new set-theoretic axiomsapplication of mathematics in the natural sciencespractice of contemporary set theory

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Philosophy of mathematics (00A30) Philosophical and critical aspects of logic and foundations (03A05) Set theory (03E99)

Review text

The stated purpose of this paper is ``to illuminate, from a naturalistic point of view, the significance of the application of mathematics in the natural sciences for the practice of contemporary set theory. The author is opposed to viewing the acceptability of new set-theoretic axioms either on the basis of a Platonist picture of an objective world of sets or in terms of what she calls `sociological explanations'. Rather, she emphasizes the importance of the goals of the relevant mathematical community. (Perhaps she does not give sufficient attention to the possibility that those goals will turn out to be wrong-headed.) As far as applicability is concerned, the historical examples cited in this paper point up the danger of letting immediate applications guide research. A more thorough treatment of these matters may be found in the author's book: Naturalism in mathematics, Oxford: Clarendon Press (1997; Zbl 0931.03003).

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• Nature and number. The mathematization of the world
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