more from Bertrand Russell

Single Idea 14142

[catalogued under 6. Mathematics / A. Nature of Mathematics / 3. Nature of Numbers / e. Ordinal numbers]

Full Idea

The finite ordinals may be conceived as types of series; ..the ordinal number may be taken as 'n terms in a row'; this is distinct from the 'nth', and logically prior to it.

Gist of Idea

Ordinals are types of series of terms in a row, rather than the 'nth' instance

Source

Bertrand Russell (The Principles of Mathematics [1903], §290)

Book Reference

Russell,Bertrand: 'Principles of Mathematics' [Routledge 1992], p.312


A Reaction

Worth nothing, because the popular and traditional use of 'ordinal' (as in learning a foreign language) is to mean the nth instance of something, rather than a whole series.