[lit-ideas] "7 + 5 = 12" -- as "synthetc a priori"

  • From: Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx
  • To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Tue, 21 Sep 2004 12:13:21 EDT

 
 
In a message dated 9/21/2004 10:21:06 AM Eastern Standard Time,  
donalmcevoyuk@xxxxxxxxxxx writes:
the
view that mathematical statements are tautolgous (as per  Wittgstn's TLP) is
controversial to say the least, and perhaps to be  rejected (as it is by many
philosophical mathematicians) - rejected  essentially because the meaning of
'12' is not contained in the meaning of  '5' and '7', and equally the meaning
of '4' is not contained in the meaning  of '2'. That is, mathematics is
synthetic, albeit not empirical as in  testable/falsifiable by observation.
This 'synthetic' quality is shown by  the fact certain mathematical theorems
have been disproved, whereas one  cannot disprove a definition. 


----
 
Yep, I noticed that too in R. Paul's example.
 
One reason may be that Kant, who gave the example in the subject-line, was  
not too good at mathematics. Thus, while "2 + 2 = 4" is tautologous and 
analytic  to R. Paul -- who does well in maths -- the same utterance is 
synthetic and 
 entrenched in the constitutional apperception for the apriori self in Kant 
(who  was bad at maths).

Cheers,
 
JL

 


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  • » [lit-ideas] "7 + 5 = 12" -- as "synthetc a priori"