back to ideas for this text


Single Idea 9864

[from 'The Republic' by Plato, in 6. Mathematics / C. Sources of Mathematics / 1. Mathematical Platonism / a. For mathematical platonism ]

Full Idea

With those numbers that can be grasped only in thought, ..each one is equal to every other, without the least difference and containing no internal parts.

Gist of Idea

In pure numbers, all ones are equal, with no internal parts

Source

Plato (The Republic [c.374 BCE], 526a)

Book Reference

Plato: 'Complete Works', ed/tr. Cooper,John M. [Hackett 1997], p.1142


A Reaction

[Two voices in the conversation are elided] Intriguing and tantalising. Does 13 have internal parts, in the platonist view? If so, is it more than the sum of its parts? Is Plato committed to numbers being built from indistinguishable abstract units/