Combining Philosophers

Ideas for Robert Geroch, Bas C. van Fraassen and Michael Hallett

unexpand these ideas     |    start again     |     choose another area for these philosophers

display all the ideas for this combination of philosophers


1 idea

18. Thought / E. Abstraction / 3. Abstracta by Ignoring
Maths deals with quantities of physical significance, ignoring irrelevant features [Geroch]
     Full Idea: Mathematics can serve to provide a framework within which one deals only with quantities of physical significance, ignoring other, irrelevant things.
     From: Robert Geroch (Mathematical Physics [1985], p.1), quoted by Charles Chihara - A Structural Account of Mathematics 9.8
     A reaction: This is a modern physicist espousing abstractionism, as derided and dismissed by Frege and Geach. It's common sense, really.