Thinking about mathematics : the philosophy of mathematics
"This unique text by Stewart Shapiro looks at a range of philosophical issues and positions concerning mathematics in four comprehensive sections. The book tackles questions and issues about mathematics that have motivated philosophers since the beginning of intellectual history. In a historical survey the author discusses the role of mathematics in such thinkers as Plato, Aristotle, Kant, and Mill, and covers the three major positions throughout the twentieth century: that mathematics is logic (logicism), that the essence of mathematics is the rule-governed manipulation of characters (formalism), and a revisionist philosophy that focuses on the mental activity of mathematics (intuitionism). Finally, Shapiro looks at contemporary positions and work which brings the reader up-to-date on the discipline." "Thinking about mathematics is accessible to those with little background in either mathematics or philosophy. It will be enjoyed by students and professionals in mathematics who have little contact with academic philosophy and equally by philosophy students and other philosophers who forgot much of their mathematics."--Jacket
Print Book, English, 2000
Oxford University Press, New York, 2000