Single Idea 13677

[catalogued under 6. Mathematics / A. Nature of Mathematics / 3. Nature of Numbers / e. Ordinal numbers]

Full Idea

By convention, the natural numbers are the finite ordinals, the integers are certain equivalence classes of pairs of finite ordinals, etc.

Gist of Idea

Natural numbers are the finite ordinals, and integers are equivalence classes of pairs of finite ordinals

Source

Stewart Shapiro (Foundations without Foundationalism [1991], 9.3)

Book Reference

Shapiro,Stewart: 'Foundations without Foundationalism' [OUP 1991], p.251

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