Full Idea
The controversy was not about Choice per se, but about the correct notion of function - between advocates of taking mathematics to be about arbitrary functions and advocates of taking it to be about functions given by rules.
Gist of Idea
The controversy was not about the Axiom of Choice, but about functions as arbitrary, or given by rules
Source
Shaughan Lavine (Understanding the Infinite [1994], I)
Book Reference
Lavine,Shaughan: 'Understanding the Infinite' [Harvard 1994], p.4
Related Idea
Idea 15897 Zermelo realised that Choice would facilitate the sort of 'counting' Cantor needed [Zermelo, by Lavine]