[FOM] alleged Hilbert quote

[Torkel Franzen]

Vladik Kreinovich writes:


>While Hilbert probably never said that math is a meaningless game with
>symbols, ths spirit of this phrase is somewhat similar to a famous
>actual citation from Hilbert's Intro to his Foundations of Geometry:

>"One must be able to say at all times -- instead of points, straight
>lines, and planes -- tables, beer mugs, and chairs."

I understand this quotation to emphasize what is required of a formal
axiomatization of a part of mathematics. On this reading, Hilbert's
comment applies even if we take the axioms of a system to express
specific truths about mathematical reality.

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Torkel Franzén