more from George Cantor

Single Idea 17798

[catalogued under 6. Mathematics / A. Nature of Mathematics / 3. Nature of Numbers / d. Natural numbers]

Full Idea

Cantor taught us to regard the totality of natural numbers, which was formerly thought to be infinite, as really finite after all.

Gist of Idea

Cantor presented the totality of natural numbers as finite, not infinite

Source

report of George Cantor (works [1880]) by John Mayberry - What Required for Foundation for Maths? p.414-2

Book Reference

'Philosophy of Mathematics: anthology', ed/tr. Jacquette,Dale [Blackwell 2002], p.414


A Reaction

I presume this is because they are (by definition) countable.

Related Idea

Idea 17797 Cantor extended the finite (rather than 'taming the infinite') [Mayberry]