Mathematical Structuralism

Paperback / softback

Main Details

Title Mathematical Structuralism
Authors and Contributors      By (author) Geoffrey Hellman
By (author) Stewart Shapiro
SeriesElements in the Philosophy of Mathematics
Physical Properties
Format:Paperback / softback
Pages:75
Dimensions(mm): Height 230,Width 150
Category/GenrePhilosophy of science
ISBN/Barcode 9781108456432
ClassificationsDewey:510.1
Audience
Professional & Vocational
Illustrations Worked examples or Exercises

Publishing Details

Publisher Cambridge University Press
Imprint Cambridge University Press
Publication Date 29 November 2018
Publication Country United Kingdom

Description

The present work is a systematic study of five frameworks or perspectives articulating mathematical structuralism, whose core idea is that mathematics is concerned primarily with interrelations in abstraction from the nature of objects. The first two, set-theoretic and category-theoretic, arose within mathematics itself. After exposing a number of problems, the Element considers three further perspectives formulated by logicians and philosophers of mathematics: sui generis, treating structures as abstract universals, modal, eliminating structures as objects in favor of freely entertained logical possibilities, and finally, modal-set-theoretic, a sort of synthesis of the set-theoretic and modal perspectives.