Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'On Simple Theories of a Complex World', 'Structuralism Reconsidered' and 'There Are No Abstract Objects'

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7 ideas

6. Mathematics / A. Nature of Mathematics / 3. Nature of Numbers / d. Natural numbers
8923 Numbers are identified by their main properties and relations, involving the successor function [MacBride]
6. Mathematics / B. Foundations for Mathematics / 7. Mathematical Structuralism / e. Structuralism critique
8926 For mathematical objects to be positions, positions themselves must exist first [MacBride]
8. Modes of Existence / E. Nominalism / 1. Nominalism / c. Nominalism about abstracta
14596 Call 'nominalism' the denial of numbers, properties, relations and sets [Dorr]
8. Modes of Existence / E. Nominalism / 5. Class Nominalism
14597 Natural Class Nominalism says there are primitive classes of things resembling in one respect [Dorr]
10. Modality / A. Necessity / 11. Denial of Necessity
14598 Abstracta imply non-logical brute necessities, so only nominalists can deny such things [Dorr]
14. Science / B. Scientific Theories / 1. Scientific Theory
21687 It seems obvious to prefer the simpler of two theories, on grounds of beauty and convenience [Quine]
21688 There are four suspicious reasons why we prefer simpler theories [Quine]