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Single Idea 9568

[filed under theme 18. Thought / E. Abstraction / 7. Abstracta by Equivalence ]

Full Idea

What I refer to as an 'equivalence class' (of line segments of a particular length) is an open sentence in my Constructibility Theory. I just use this terminology of the Platonist for didactic purposes.

Gist of Idea

I prefer the open sentences of a Constructibility Theory, to Platonist ideas of 'equivalence classes'

Source

Charles Chihara (A Structural Account of Mathematics [2004], 09.10)

Book Ref

Chihara,Charles: 'A Structural Account of Mathematics' [OUP 2004], p.277

A Reaction

This is because 'equivalence classes' is committed to the existence of classes, which is Quinean Platonism. I am with Chihara in wanting a story that avoids such things. Kit Fine is investigating similar notions of rules of construction.

The 17 ideas from 'A Structural Account of Mathematics'

10192 We can replace existence of sets with possibility of constructing token sentences [Chihara, by MacBride]
9547 Mathematical entities are causally inert, so the causal theory of reference won't work for them [Chihara]
9550 We only know relational facts about the empty set, but nothing intrinsic [Chihara]
9551 What is special about Bill Clinton's unit set, in comparison with all the others? [Chihara]
9549 The set theorist cannot tell us what 'membership' is [Chihara]
9552 Sentences are consistent if they can all be true; for Frege it is that no contradiction can be deduced [Chihara]
9553 Analytic geometry gave space a mathematical structure, which could then have axioms [Chihara]
9559 If a successful theory confirms mathematics, presumably a failed theory disconfirms it? [Chihara]
9561 The mathematics of relations is entirely covered by ordered pairs [Chihara]
9562 In simple type theory there is a hierarchy of null sets [Chihara]
9563 A pack of wolves doesn't cease when one member dies [Chihara]
9566 No scientific explanation would collapse if mathematical objects were shown not to exist [Chihara]
9568 I prefer the open sentences of a Constructibility Theory, to Platonist ideas of 'equivalence classes' [Chihara]
9571 ZFU refers to the physical world, when it talks of 'urelements' [Chihara]
9573 The null set is a structural position which has no other position in membership relation [Chihara]
9572 Realists about sets say there exists a null set in the real world, with no members [Chihara]
9574 'Gunk' is an individual possessing no parts that are atoms [Chihara]