Single Idea 10188

[catalogued under 6. Mathematics / B. Foundations for Mathematics / 7. Mathematical Structuralism / e. Structuralism critique]

Full Idea

The 'Van Inwagen Problem' for structuralism is of explaining how a mathematical relation (such as set membership, or the ratios of an ellipse) can fit into one of the three scholastics types of relations: are they internal, external, or intrinsic?

Gist of Idea

How can mathematical relations be either internal, or external, or intrinsic?

Source

John P. Burgess (Review of Chihara 'Struct. Accnt of Maths' [2005], §5)


A Reaction

The difficulty is that mathematical objects seem to need intrinsic properties to get any of these three versions off the ground (which was Russell's complaint against structures).