[FOM] Mathematics and precision

[Vladimir Sazonov]

Quoting "Timothy Y. Chow" <tchow at alum.mit.edu> Mon, 05 Mar 2007:

By saying that mathematics is defined by
> some threshold of precision, I do not mean to specify what that threshold
> is.  Some possible thresholds might be:


> 5. Finitistic and feasible enough even for V. Sazonov.

If you mean my interests to feasibility concept then this is my 
interest to this concept only or to a specific class of formalisms. By 
no means this is a threshold for me of precision for mathematics.  For 
mathematics I have one and the most general criterion - to deal with 
arbitrary formal systems (without any restrictions at all, except 
meaningfulness) and with formalizability.

Therefore none of the thresholds you mention is acceptable for me as a 
criterion to be mathematics.

I also consider the term "precision" as too vague to characterise 
mathematics at all. In contrast, formal systems (and formalizability) 
is sufficiently clearly articulated concept which is able to clearly 
and adequately characterise mathematics in its most general meaning.


Vladimir Sazonov

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