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Full Idea
A large part of the natural laws introduced by science treat only of the mutual relations between the results of counting and measuring.
Gist of Idea
Scientific laws largely rest on the results of counting and measuring
Source
Luitzen E.J. Brouwer (Intuitionism and Formalism [1912], p.77)
Book Ref
'Philosophy of Mathematics: readings (2nd)', ed/tr. Benacerraf/Putnam [CUP 1983], p.77
A Reaction
His point, I take it, is that the higher reaches of numbers have lost touch with the original point of the system. I now see the whole issue as just depending on conventions about the agreed extension of the word 'number'.
10117 | Intuitonists in mathematics worried about unjustified assertion, as well as contradiction [Brouwer, by George/Velleman] |
12451 | Scientific laws largely rest on the results of counting and measuring [Brouwer] |
12452 | Our dislike of contradiction in logic is a matter of psychology, not mathematics [Brouwer] |
12454 | Intuitionists only accept denumerable sets [Brouwer] |
12453 | Neo-intuitionism abstracts from the reuniting of moments, to intuit bare two-oneness [Brouwer] |