Description
Book SynopsisMore Precisely is a rigorous and engaging introduction to the mathematics necessary to do philosophy. It is impossible to fully understand much of the most important work in contemporary philosophy without a basic grasp of set theory, functions, probability, decision theory, and modality.
More Precisely is written for people who wish to engage with contemporary philosophical writing but first need to fill gaps in their technical knowledge. Eric Steinhart provides lucid explanations of many basic mathematical concepts and sets out most commonly used notational conventions. He also demonstrates how mathematics applies to fundamental issues in various branches of philosophy, including metaphysics, philosophy of language, epistemology, and ethics. This second edition adds a substantive section on decision and game theory, as well as a chapter on information theory and the efficient coding of information.
Trade Review“
More Precisely is a very useful tool for philosophers with a limited formal background who nevertheless aim to leave a lasting mark on the discipline.” — Nathan Salmon, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, University of California, Santa Barbara
“Back in the day, philosophy graduate students might have been expected to complete a course in metalogic. It would be far better to complete a course that covers the topics presented here. This is excellent coverage of a wide range of mathematical ideas and techniques that are at the heart of many contemporary issues in metaphysics and epistemology.” — F. Thomas Burke, University of South Carolina
Table of Contents
- Preface
- Chapter 1: Sets
- Chapter 2: Relations
- Chapter 3: Machines
- Chapter 4: Semantics
- Chapter 5: Probability
- Chapter 6: Information Theory
- Chapter 7: Decisions and Games
- Chapter 8: From the Finite to the Infinite
- Chapter 9: Bigger Infinities
- Further Study
- Glossary of Symbols
