1Z wrote: > Bruno Marchal wrote: > > Le 09-nov.-06, à 14:07, 1Z a écrit : > > > > > Bruno Marchal wrote: > > >> Le 31-oct.-06, à 19:37, 1Z a écrit : > > >> > > >>> Well, I think numbers don't exist AT ALL.... > > >> > > >> I have not the slightest idea what you mean by that. > > > > > > If you don't understand anti-Platonism, that would certainly explain > > > why you don't argue against it. > > > > > > I still don't understand what you mean by numbers does not exist at > > all. > > If that is "antiplatonism", it would help me if you could explain > > what is "antiplatonism", or better what could it mean that the numbers > > don't exist. We already agree they don't exist physically, but saying > > they does not exist at all ??? > > It means they don't non-physically exist either. > > Mathematical claims about existence can be true > of false, but so can fictional claims like "Harry Potter exists > in Middle Earth" > > > Even Licorne exists in some sense, > > without referent in "the physical world", but with referent (meaning) > > in some fantasy worlds? > > Fantasy worlds don't exist -- that's why they are called fantasy > worlds, -- > Licornes don't exist, and Licornes' don't exist in fantasy worlds. > > Meaning is *not* the same thing as reference (Bedeutung). That is the > box the anti-Platonist has climbed out of. Some terms have > referents (non-linguistic items they denote), others have only > "sense" (Sinn). Sense and reference are two dimensions > aspects of meaning, but not every term has both. > Sense is internal to langauge, it a relationship between a > word/concept > and others. It is like a dictionary definition, whereas reference is > like > defining a word by pointing and saying "it is one of those". > But no-one has ever defined a Licorne that way, since > there is no Licorne to be pointed to. Mathematical concepts > are defined in terms of other mathematical concepts. > Mathematical reference is impossible and unnecessary. > > > Why could numbers not exist in some similar > > sense, except that the number fantasy kiks back (as Tom has recalled > > recently). > > Saying that Licornes exist in a fantasy world > is a cumbersome way of saying they don't > literally exist. Well, numbers don't literally > kick back. They don't interact causally > with my reality.
What about: If (2^32582657)-1 is a prime number, I will not eat my hat. In all possible worlds where I always keep my promises, I will not eat my hat. This is causally a result of the fact that (2^32582657)-1 is a prime number. Tom > > > I am just trying to understand what you say. > > > > Bruno > > > > > > http://iridia.ulb.ac.be/~marchal/ --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Everything List" group. To post to this group, send email to everything-list@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/everything-list?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---