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The Indispensability of Mathematics
Mark Colyvan
Abstract
Looks at the Quine–Putnam indispensability argument in the philosophy of mathematics. This argument urges us to place mathematical entities on the same ontological footing as other theoretical entities indispensable to our best scientific theories. The indispensability argument has come under serious scrutiny in recent times, with many influential philosophers unconvinced of its cogency. This book outlines the indispensability argument in considerable detail, before defending it against various challenges.
Keywords: applied mathematics, Mark Colyvan, holism, indispensability argument, mathematics, naturalism, ontological commitment, philosophy of mathematics, philosophy, Putnam, Quine
Bibliographic Information
| Print publication date: 2001 | Print ISBN-13: 9780195137545 |
| Published to Oxford Scholarship Online: November 2003 | DOI:10.1093/019513754X.001.0001 |
