Too naturalist and not naturalist enough: Reply to Horsten

Erkenntnis 69 (2):261 - 274 (2008)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

Leon Horsten has recently claimed that the class of mathematical truths coincides with the class of theorems of ZFC. I argue that the naturalistic character of Horsten’s proposal undermines his contention that this claim constitutes an analogue of a thesis that Daniel Isaacson has advanced for PA. I argue, moreover, that Horsten’s defence of his claim against an obvious objection makes use of a distinction which is not available to him given his naturalistic approach. I suggest a way out of the objection which is in line with the naturalistic spirit of Horsten’s proposal but which further weakens the analogy with Isaacson’s Thesis. I conclude by evaluating the prospects for providing an analogue of Isaacson’s Thesis for ZFC.

Links

PhilArchive



    Upload a copy of this work     Papers currently archived: 92,611

External links

Setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your University's proxy server

Through your library

Analytics

Added to PP
2009-01-28

Downloads
106 (#167,207)

6 months
24 (#119,438)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?

Author's Profile

Luca Incurvati
University of Amsterdam

References found in this work

The Foundations of Mathematics and Other Logical Essays.Frank Plumpton Ramsey - 1925 - London, England: Routledge & Kegan Paul. Edited by R. B. Braithwaite.
Naturalism in mathematics.Penelope Maddy - 1997 - New York: Oxford University Press.
Collected works.Kurt Gödel - 1986 - New York: Oxford University Press. Edited by Solomon Feferman.
An Introduction to Gödel's Theorems.Peter Smith - 2007 - New York: Cambridge University Press.

View all 26 references / Add more references