Shows
MCMP – Philosophy of MathematicsHaecceities and Mathematical StructuralismChristopher Menzel (Texas A&M University) gives a talk at the MCMP Colloquium (18 June, 2014) titled "Haecceities and Mathematical Structuralism". Abstract: It is well-known that some earlier versions of mathematical structuralism (notably from Resnik and Shapiro) appeared to be committed to a rather strong form of the Identity of Indiscernibles (II) that is falsified by the existence of structures like the complex field that admit of non-trivial automorphisms, or symmetries. In light of more recent work (notably, by MacBride, Ketland, Shapiro, Ladyman, and Leitgeb and Ladyman), it is widely accepted that the mathematical structuralist is not committed to II and that...2014-06-1900 min