Mathematics Feels Real, but is Paradoxical
On foundations we believe in the reality of mathematics, but of course, when philosophers attack us with their paradoxes, we rush to hide behind formalism and say 'mathematics is just a combination of meaningless symbols,'... Finally we are left in peace to go back to our mathematics and do it as we have always done, with the feeling each mathematician has that he is working with something real. The sensation is probably an illusion, but it is very convenient.
Notes:
Real to the mathematician, paradoxical to the philosopher.
Folksonomies: mathematics philosophy
Taxonomies:
/science/mathematics (0.838019)
/hobbies and interests/magic and illusion (0.446331)
/society/sex (0.210314)
Keywords:
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Concepts:
Metaphysics (0.964007): dbpedia | freebase | opencyc
English-language films (0.810935): dbpedia
Set theory (0.801741): dbpedia | freebase | opencyc
Logic (0.768746): dbpedia | freebase | opencyc
Philosophy of mathematics (0.767943): dbpedia | freebase | yago
Religion (0.765996): dbpedia | freebase | opencyc
Ontology (0.764070): dbpedia | freebase | opencyc
Empiricism (0.724279): dbpedia | freebase
The Work of Nicholas Bourbaki