Single Idea 10490

[catalogued under 6. Mathematics / C. Sources of Mathematics / 1. Mathematical Platonism / a. For mathematical platonism]

Full Idea

It is no surprise that we should be able to reason mathematically about many of the things we experience, for they are already 'abstract'.

Gist of Idea

Mathematics isn't surprising, given that we experience many objects as abstract

Source

George Boolos (Must We Believe in Set Theory? [1997], p.129)

Book Reference

Boolos,George: 'Logic, Logic and Logic' [Harvard 1999], p.129


A Reaction

He has just given a list of exemplary abstract objects (Idea 10489), but I think there is a more interesting idea here - that our experience of actual physical objects is to some extent abstract, as soon as it is conceptualised.

Related Idea

Idea 10489 We deal with abstract objects all the time: software, poems, mistakes, triangles.. [Boolos]