Single Idea 10230

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

Full Idea

The 4-pattern is the structure common to all collections of four objects.

Gist of Idea

The 4-pattern is the structure common to all collections of four objects

Source

Stewart Shapiro (Philosophy of Mathematics [1997], 4.2)

Book Reference

Shapiro,Stewart: 'Philosophy of Mathematics:structure and ontology' [OUP 1997], p.115


A Reaction

This seems open to Frege's objection, that you can have four disparate abstract concepts, or four spatially scattered items of unknown pattern. It certainly isn't a visual pattern, but then if the only detectable pattern is the fourness, it is circular.