Author Description

This Study Addresses A Central Theme In Current Philosophy: Platonism Vs Naturalism And Provides Accounts Of Both Approaches To Mathematics, Crucially Discussing Quine, Maddy, Kitcher, Lakoff, Colyvan, And Many Others. Beginning With Accounts Of Both Approaches, Brown Defends Platonism By Arguing That Only A Platonistic Approach Can Account For Concept Acquisition In A Number Of Special Cases In The Sciences. He Also Argues For A Particular View Of Applied Mathematics, A View That Supports Platonism Against Naturalist Alternatives. Not Only Does This Engaging Book Present The Platonist-natu Platonism, Naturalism, And Mathematical Knowledge; Copyright; Contents; Preface; Acknowledgments; 1 Mathematical Explanation; 2 What Is Naturalism?; 3 Perception, Practice, And Ideal Agents: Kitcher's Naturalism; 4 Just Metaphor? Lakoff's Language; 5 Seeing With The Mind's Eye: The Platonist Alternative; 6 Semi-naturalists And Reluctant Realists; 7 A Life Of Its Own? Maddy And The Autonomy Of Mathematics; Afterword; Notes; Bibliography; Index James Robert Brown. Description Based Upon Print Version Of Record. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. English