This truly philosophical book takes us back to fundamentals - the
sheer experience of proof, and the enigmatic relation of mathematics
to nature. It asks unexpected questions, such as 'what makes
mathematics mathematics?', 'where did proof come from and how did it
evolve?', and 'how did the distinction between pure and applied
mathematics come into being?' In a wide-ranging discussion that is
both immersed in the past and unusually attuned to the competing
philosophical ideas of contemporary mathematicians, it shows that
proof and other forms of mathematical exploration continue to be
living, evolving practices - responsive to new technologies, yet
embedded in permanent (and astonishing) facts about human beings. It
distinguishes several distinct types of application of mathematics,
and shows how each leads to a different philosophical conundrum. Here
is a remarkable body of new philosophical thinking about proofs,
applications, and other mathematical activities.
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Produktdetaljer
ISBN
9781107721159
Publisert
2013
Utgave
1. utgave
Utgiver
Vendor
Cambridge University Press
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Digital bok
Forfatter