more on this theme     |     more from this thinker


Single Idea 10560

[filed under theme 6. Mathematics / B. Foundations for Mathematics / 6. Mathematics as Set Theory / b. Mathematics is not set theory ]

Full Idea

Set-theoretic imperialists think that it must be possible to represent every mathematical object as a set.

Gist of Idea

Set-theoretic imperialists think sets can represent every mathematical object

Source

Kit Fine (Replies on 'Limits of Abstraction' [2005], 1)

Book Ref

-: 'Philosophical Studies' [-], p.367


The 14 ideas from 'Replies on 'Limits of Abstraction''

If you ask what F the second-order quantifier quantifies over, you treat it as first-order [Fine,K]
There is no stage at which we can take all the sets to have been generated [Fine,K]
We might combine the axioms of set theory with the axioms of mereology [Fine,K]
Set-theoretic imperialists think sets can represent every mathematical object [Fine,K]
A generative conception of abstracts proposes stages, based on concepts of previous objects [Fine,K]
Abstraction-theoretic imperialists think Fregean abstracts can represent every mathematical object [Fine,K]
We can combine ZF sets with abstracts as urelements [Fine,K]
We can create objects from conditions, rather than from concepts [Fine,K]
Concern for rigour can get in the way of understanding phenomena [Fine,K]
Logicists say mathematics can be derived from definitions, and can be known that way [Fine,K]
Assigning an entity to each predicate in semantics is largely a technical convenience [Fine,K]
Dedekind cuts lead to the bizarre idea that there are many different number 1's [Fine,K]
Why should a Dedekind cut correspond to a number? [Fine,K]
Unless we know whether 0 is identical with the null set, we create confusions [Fine,K]