more on this theme | more from this thinker | more from this text
Full Idea
There are no such things as numbers.
Gist of Idea
There are no such things as numbers
Source
Paul Benacerraf (What Numbers Could Not Be [1965], IIIC)
Book Ref
'Philosophy of Mathematics: readings (2nd)', ed/tr. Benacerraf/Putnam [CUP 1983], p.294
A Reaction
Mill said precisely the same (Idea 9794). I think I agree. There has been a classic error of reification. An abstract pattern is not an object. If I coin a word for all the three-digit numbers in our system, I haven't created a new 'object'.
Related Idea
Idea 9794 There are no such things as numbers in the abstract [Mill]