Numbers as Cognitive Tools: An Empirically Informed Nominalistic Account of the Nature of Numbers (Synthese Library #510)

By: César Frederico dos Santos

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Synopsis: This books offers a novel account of the nature of numbers firmly grounded in results from numerical cognition and the philosophy of mathematics. Drawing on empirical data on the human experience of what we call “numbers,” the author shows that numbers do not exist as abstract objects, but that the idea that they do is a useful cognitive tool. Contrary to the platonist view, according to which arithmetic is true of a realm of abstract entities, the nominalistic account presented in this book shows arithmetic to be true of descriptions of structural properties of techniques such as counting and calculating procedures. This book is of interest to both philosophers and cognitive scientists who want to have a deeper understanding of what numbers are.

Book Quality:: Publisher Quality
ISBN-13:: 9783031984273
Related ISBNs:: 9783031984266
Publisher:: Springer Nature Switzerland
Date of Addition:: 08/19/25
Copyrighted By:: The Editor
Adult content:: No
Language:: English
Has Image Descriptions:: No
Categories:: History, Nonfiction, Psychology, Education, Mathematics and Statistics, Philosophy
Submitted By:: Bookshare Staff
Usage Restrictions:: This is a copyrighted book.