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Single Idea 18207

[filed under theme 6. Mathematics / C. Sources of Mathematics / 4. Mathematical Empiricism / b. Indispensability of mathematics ]

Full Idea

It could turn out that all applications of continuum mathematics in natural sciences are actually instances of idealisation.

Clarification

Continuum mathematics uses the real numbers

Gist of Idea

Maybe applications of continuum mathematics are all idealisations

Source

Penelope Maddy (Naturalism in Mathematics [1997], II.6)

Book Ref

Maddy,Penelope: 'Naturalism in Mathematics' [OUP 2000], p.152

Related Idea

Idea 18150 Actual measurement could never require the precision of the real numbers [Bostock]