Single Idea 17785

[catalogued under 9. Objects / A. Existence of Objects / 2. Abstract Objects / a. Nature of abstracta]

Full Idea

The abstractness of the old fashioned real numbers has been replaced by generality in the modern theory of complete ordered fields.

Gist of Idea

Real numbers as abstracted objects are now treated as complete ordered fields

Source

John Mayberry (What Required for Foundation for Maths? [1994], p.408-2)

Book Reference

'Philosophy of Mathematics: anthology', ed/tr. Jacquette,Dale [Blackwell 2002], p.408


A Reaction

In philosophy, I'm increasingly thinking that we should talk much more of 'generality', and a great deal less about 'universals'. (By which I don't mean that redness is just the set of red things).