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Single Idea 12238

[from 'Real Essentialism' by David S. Oderberg, in 6. Mathematics / A. Nature of Mathematics / 3. Nature of Numbers / a. Numbers ]

Full Idea

The Aristotelian account of numbers is that their existence depends on the existence of things that are not numbers, ..since numbers are abstractions from the existence of things.

Gist of Idea

The Aristotelian view is that numbers depend on (and are abstracted from) other things

Source

David S. Oderberg (Real Essentialism [2007], 1.2)

Book Reference

Oderberg,David S.: 'Real Essentialism' [Routledge 2009], p.9


A Reaction

This is the deeply unfashionable view to which I am attached. The problem is the status of transfinite, complex etc numbers. They look like fictions to me.