Description
Book SynopsisTrade Review"Excellent. . . . [A]n exceptionally well-informed, very readable and clear introduction to the subject. If you are looking for an entry point into the extensive philosophical literature on the nature of mathematics, look no further."
---A. C. Paseau, Mathematical Gazette"Linnebo's slender volume is an admirable addition to the many existing books on the philosophy of mathematics. It is clear, concise, and well written. . . . All in all, this is an excellent introduction to the philosophy of mathematics and should be seriously considered by any individual interested in the subject." * Choice *
"This is a thought-provoking book, and is a useful addition to the textbook literature on this subject." * MAA Reviews *
"This book provides a nice
lay of the land for anyone interested in contemporary philosophy of mathematics."
---Gregory Lavers, Philosophia Mathematica"[This book] is very, very good. Superbly clear, concise, well organised, it gives not only a very accessible introduction but also takes the reader all the way to the cutting edge of what philosophers are doing in the philosophy of mathematics. Above all, Linnebo writes as a fully engaged philosopher and makes his preferred choice of philosophical position clear. But this is no mere polemic: I felt he clearly and forcefully presents the strengths and weaknesses of all the philosophical positions he discusses."
---Henri Laurie, Mathemafrica"[A] very readable and . . . superb introduction to the philosophy of mathematics."
---Jason Wakefield, Avello Publishing JournalTable of ContentsAcknowledgments vii Introduction 1 1 Mathematics as a Philosophical Challenge 4 2 Frege's Logicism 21 3 Formalism and Deductivism 38 4 Hilbert's Program 56 5 Intuitionism 73 6 Empiricism about Mathematics 88 7 Nominalism 101 8 Mathematical Intuition 116 9 Abstraction Reconsidered 126 10 The Iterative Conception of Sets 139 11 Structuralism 154 12 The Quest for New Axioms 170 Concluding Remarks 183 Bibliography 189 Index 199
