Single Idea 9374

[catalogued under 12. Knowledge Sources / E. Direct Knowledge / 2. Intuition]

Full Idea

If we learn geometrical truths by intuition, how could this faculty have misled us for so long?

Gist of Idea

If we learn geometry by intuition, how could this faculty have misled us for so long?

Source

Paul Boghossian (Analyticity Reconsidered [1996], §III)

Book Reference

-: 'Nous' [-], p.12


A Reaction

This refers to the development of non-Euclidean geometries, though the main misleading concerns parallels, which involves infinity. Boghossian cites 'distance' as a concept the Euclideans had misunderstood. Why shouldn't intuitions be wrong?