Single Idea 10632

[catalogued under 6. Mathematics / A. Nature of Mathematics / 3. Nature of Numbers / g. Real numbers]

Full Idea

The real numbers may be introduced by abstraction as ratios of quantities. ..They are not defined by Dedekind cuts; rather, the cuts constitute a domain with the properties that are a necessary precondition.

Gist of Idea

The real numbers may be introduced by abstraction as ratios of quantities

Source

report of Bob Hale (Reals by Abstraction [1998]) by B Hale / C Wright - Intro to 'The Reason's Proper Study' 3.3

Book Reference

Hale,B/Wright,C: 'The Reason's Proper Study' [OUP 2003], p.27


A Reaction

This is Hale's neo-logicist attempt to derive the real numbers from Hume's Principle.