Filozofska istraživanja, Vol. 36 No. 3, 2016.
Preliminary communication
https://doi.org/10.21464/fi36309
Can Arguments of Formal Naturalism be used to Show that the Mathematical Explanation is Indispensable in Science?
Vladimir Drekalović
orcid.org/0000-0001-9046-1596
; Univerzitet Crne Gore, Filozofski fakultet, Danila Bojovića bb, MNE 81400 Nikšić
Abstract
In the philosophy of mathematics, it is well known that the Platonists support the view of the existence of mathematical objects. The so-called Enhanced indispensability argument EIA, recently explicitly formulated by Alan Baker in the form of modal syllogisms, can be understood as an attempt to support this Platonic view. this argument has recently caused a unmber of different reactions. A small number of analyses supported the argument or any of its parts. We will single out exactly one such analysis which supports the second premise of the EIA. It is a naturalistic approach to the role and indispensability of mathematical explanation in science. We will try to show that this attempt to defend the said premise and hence the EIA has several significant shortcomings due to which, it seems to us, it cannot serve as an additional argument in favour of the Platonists.
Keywords
mathematical platonism; mathematical explanation; Enhanced indispensability argument; naturalism; Henri Galinon
Hrčak ID:
179924
URI
Publication date:
19.10.2016.
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