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Single Idea 18246

[from 'The Principles of Mathematics' by Bertrand Russell, in 6. Mathematics / B. Foundations for Mathematics / 4. Axioms for Number / d. Peano arithmetic ]

Full Idea

Dedekind's demonstrations nowhere - not even where he comes to cardinals - involve any property distinguishing numbers from other progressions.

Gist of Idea

Dedekind failed to distinguish the numbers from other progressions

Source

comment on Bertrand Russell (The Principles of Mathematics [1903], p.249) by Stewart Shapiro - Philosophy of Mathematics 5.4

Book Reference

Shapiro,Stewart: 'Philosophy of Mathematics:structure and ontology' [OUP 1997], p.175


A Reaction

Shapiro notes that his sounds like Frege's Julius Caesar problem, of ensuring that your definition really does capture a number. Russell is objecting to mathematical structuralism.