back to ideas for this text


Single Idea 9894

[from 'Elements of Geometry' by Euclid, in 6. Mathematics / A. Nature of Mathematics / 3. Nature of Numbers / m. One ]

Full Idea

A unit is that according to which each existing thing is said to be one.

Gist of Idea

A unit is that according to which each existing thing is said to be one

Source

Euclid (Elements of Geometry [c.290 BCE], 7 Def 1)

Book Reference

Euclid: 'Euclid's Elements of Geometry (Gk/Eng)', ed/tr. Fitzpatrick,R [Lulu 2007], p.194


A Reaction

See Frege's 'Grundlagen' §29-44 for a sustained critique of this. Frege is good, but there must be something right about the Euclid idea. If I count stone, paper and scissors as three, each must first qualify to be counted as one. Psychology creeps in.