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Single Idea 3663

[filed under theme 6. Mathematics / C. Sources of Mathematics / 1. Mathematical Platonism / b. Against mathematical platonism ]

Full Idea

Platonism has the attendant problem of how we can succeed in thinking about and referring to entities we can have no causal transactions with.

Gist of Idea

How can you contemplate Platonic entities without causal transactions with them?

Source

Hilary Putnam (Phil of Mathematics: why nothing works [1979], Modalism)

Book Ref

Putnam,Hilary: 'Words and Life', ed/tr. Conant,James [Harvard 1996], p.508