Towards a Philosophy of Real Mathematics

ISBN-13: 9780521817226 / Angielski / Twarda / 2003 / 300 str.

David Corfield

Opis

David Corfield provides a variety of innovative approaches to research in the philosophy of mathematics. His study ranges from an exploration of whether computers producing mathematical proofs or conjectures are doing real mathematics to the use of analogy; the prospects for a Bayesian confirmation theory; the notion of a mathematical research program; and the ways in which new concepts are justified. This highly original book will challenge philosophers as well as mathematicians to develop the broadest and most complete philosophical resources for research in their disciplines.

Recenzje

'What is really special about the book under review is that it demonstrates a philosopher struggling to grapple with modern mathematics as it is actually carried out by practitioners. This is what the author means by 'real mathematics' as quoted in the book title.' Zentralblatt MATH

Spis treści

Preface; 1. Introduction: a role for history; Part I. Human and Artificial Mathematicians: 2. Communicating with automated theorem provers; 3. Automated conjecture formation; 4. The role of analogy in mathematics; Part II. Plausibility, Uncertainty and Probability: 5. Bayesianism in mathematics; 6. Uncertainty in mathematics and science; Part III. The Growth of Mathematics: 7. Lakatos's philosophy of mathematics; 8. Beyond the methodology of mathematical research programmes; 9. The importance of mathematical conceptualisation; Part IV. The Interpretation of Mathematics: 10. Higher dimensional algebra; Appendix; Bibliography; Index.