Single Idea 9865

[catalogued under 6. Mathematics / A. Nature of Mathematics / 4. Using Numbers / f. Arithmetic]

Full Idea

The arithmetic of the many computes sums of unequal units, such as two armies, or two herds, ..but philosopher's arithmetic computes when it is guaranteed that none of those infinitely many units differed in the least from any of the others.

Gist of Idea

Daily arithmetic counts unequal things, but pure arithmetic equalises them

Source

Plato (Philebus [c.354 BCE], 56d)

Book Reference

Plato: 'Complete Works', ed/tr. Cooper,John M. [Hackett 1997], p.446


A Reaction

But of course 'the many' are ironing out the differences too, when they say there are 'three armies'. Shocking snob, Plato. Even philosophers are interested in the difference between three armies and three platoons.