[FOM] Indispensability of the natural numbers

Steven Ericsson-Zenith steven at memeiosys.com
Tue May 18 02:58:29 EDT 2004


Vladimir Sazonov said:
>  Mathematicians do not need to have
> a metatheory. They just deduce their theorems (with the help
> of some intuition, of course).

...
and then said:

> Whatever are our beliefs, the mental concept of the natural numbers
> is something vague, anyway. It is only illusion of something solid.

I would like to understand how you sustain this position since the 
first appears - at least to me - to contradict the second position.

A metatheory would seem essential if you are to resolve the 
inadequacies of "illusion" - for example, what *exactly* do you mean 
by "illusion"?

Sincerely,
Steven
--
Dr. Steven Ericsson Zenith



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