Single Idea 18092

[catalogued under 6. Mathematics / A. Nature of Mathematics / 5. The Infinite / l. Limits]

Full Idea

After Weierstrass had stressed the importance of limits, one now needed to be able to prove the existence of such limits.

Gist of Idea

Weierstrass made limits central, but the existence of limits still needed to be proved

Source

report of Karl Weierstrass (works [1855]) by David Bostock - Philosophy of Mathematics 4.4

Book Reference

Bostock,David: 'Philosophy of Mathematics: An Introduction' [Wiley-Blackwell 2009], p.98


A Reaction

The solution to this is found in work on series (going back to Cauchy), and on Dedekind's cuts.