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Single Idea 8729

[from 'Thinking About Mathematics' by Stewart Shapiro, in 5. Theory of Logic / D. Assumptions for Logic / 2. Excluded Middle ]

Full Idea

Intuitionists in mathematics deny excluded middle, because it is symptomatic of faith in the transcendent existence of mathematical objects and/or the truth of mathematical statements.

Gist of Idea

Intuitionists deny excluded middle, because it is committed to transcendent truth or objects

Source

Stewart Shapiro (Thinking About Mathematics [2000], 1.2)

Book Reference

Shapiro,Stewart: 'Thinking About Mathematics' [OUP 2000], p.9


A Reaction

There are other problems with excluded middle, such as vagueness, but on the whole I, as a card-carrying 'realist', am committed to the law of excluded middle.