An Historical Introduction to the Philosophy of Mathematics - by Russell Marcus & Mark McEvoy (Paperback)

About the Book

An introduction to the philosophy of mathematics, using a collection of historical sources with an informed eye to contemporary debates.

Book Synopsis

A comprehensive collection of historical readings in the philosophy of mathematics and a selection of influential contemporary work, this much-needed introduction reveals the rich history of the subject.

An Historical Introduction to the Philosophy of Mathematics: A Reader brings together an impressive collection of primary sources from ancient and modern philosophy. Arranged chronologically and featuring introductory overviews explaining technical terms, this accessible reader is easy-to-follow and unrivaled in its historical scope. With selections from key thinkers such as Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Hume and Kant, it connects the major ideas of the ancients with contemporary thinkers. A selection of recent texts from philosophers including Quine, Putnam, Field and Maddy offering insights into the current state of the discipline clearly illustrates the development of the subject.

Presenting historical background essential to understanding contemporary trends and a survey of recent work, An Historical Introduction to the Philosophy of Mathematics: A Reader is required reading for undergraduates and graduate students studying the philosophy of mathematics and an invaluable source book for working researchers.

Review Quotes

[This book] brings together an impressive collection of primary sources from ancient and modern philosophy of mathematics ... It is aimed primarily at undergraduates and early graduate students, however it can serve as an invaluable sourcebook for working researchers as well.
Zentralblatt MATH

This is a reader-friendly, broad collection of original works on the philosophy of mathematics, ranging from Pythagoras to other contemporary authors. The subjects are organized chronologically, rather than thematically. Each chapter starts with a valuable introductory overview; this puts the original works of the chapter into context, suggests aspects of information to explore, and offers recommendations for further reading. Part 1 ("Ancients"-Pythagoras, Plato and Aristotle) and part 2 ("Moderns"-Descartes, Leibniz, Locke, Kant, etc.) are primarily meant for undergraduate and beginning graduate students. The later parts of the work will be of interest to advanced graduate students and researchers. These include part 3 ("Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries") and part 4 ("Contemporary Views"), which comprise more than two-thirds of the volume. Particularly refreshing is the fact that the book explores classic authors like Cantor and Gödel. However, the book also surveys the contemporary school of "experimental mathematics" and the ideas of its proponents-Doron Zeilberger (Rutgers Univ.) and Jonathan Borwein (The Univ. of Newcastle, Australia). This branch of mathematics did not exist as recently as 25 years ago. As a result, it is a milestone for experimental mathematics to be discussed in this volume.
CHOICE

This rich historical collection is an invaluable resource. The greats are represented from Pythagorus to Putnam. Classic issues and even current ones, such as fictionalism and naturalism, are included. Plato famously insisted that no one gets into his academy who is ignorant of geometry. Today we should insist that no one gets out of the academy who is ignorant of the philosophy of mathematics. This book will greatly help in that regard.

About the Author

Russell Marcus is Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Hamilton College, New York, USA.

Mark McEvoy is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Hofstra University, USA.