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Single Idea 10632

[from 'Reals by Abstraction' by Bob Hale, in 6. Mathematics / A. Nature of Mathematics / 3. Nature of Numbers / g. Real numbers ]

Full Idea

The real numbers may be introduced by abstraction as ratios of quantities. ..They are not defined by Dedekind cuts; rather, the cuts constitute a domain with the properties that are a necessary precondition.

Gist of Idea

The real numbers may be introduced by abstraction as ratios of quantities

Source

report of Bob Hale (Reals by Abstraction [1998]) by B Hale / C Wright - Intro to 'The Reason's Proper Study' 3.3

Book Reference

Hale,B/Wright,C: 'The Reason's Proper Study' [OUP 2003], p.27


A Reaction

This is Hale's neo-logicist attempt to derive the real numbers from Hume's Principle.