Single Idea 9557

[catalogued under 6. Mathematics / B. Foundations for Mathematics / 7. Mathematical Structuralism / c. Nominalist structuralism]

Full Idea

Hellman represents statements of pure mathematics as elliptical for modal conditionals of a certain sort.

Gist of Idea

Statements of pure mathematics are elliptical for a sort of modal conditional

Source

report of Geoffrey Hellman (Mathematics without Numbers [1989]) by Charles Chihara - A Structural Account of Mathematics 5.3

Book Reference

Chihara,Charles: 'A Structural Account of Mathematics' [OUP 2004], p.114


A Reaction

It's a pity there is such difficulty in understanding conditionals (see Graham Priest on the subject). I intuit a grain of truth in this, though I take maths to reflect the structure of the actual world (with possibilities being part of that world).