Seminar announcement for Grand Rapids, Michigan area:
The next Christian Perspectives in Science seminar at Calvin College is
Friday, Nov. 3, 3:30 PM in Science Building room 110.
Speaker: Jim Bradley, Mathematics and Statistics Department
Title: What is a Number? Augustine's Philosophy of Mathematics
Abstract:
In "De Libero Arbitrio", Augustine of Hippo presents an argument for the
existence of God. Because the argument depends in an essential way on
mathematics, Augustine expands at some length on its nature. This talk
will examine the implications of his views for the four classical
questions of the philosophy of mathematics: In what sense are mathematical
assertions true? What is the nature of mathematical objects, for example,
numbers? Since such objects seem immaterial but we are material beings,
how do we acquire knowledge of them? How do we account for the
astonishing effectiveness of mathematics in describing the physical world?
Also, Augustine's views on mathematics have implications for many other
questions. If there is time, this talk will address two in particular:
How are we to understand God's freedom? And how are we to understand the
nature of logic?
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http://www.calvin.edu/~lhaarsma/ChrPerspSciSeminarPage.html
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Received on Wed Nov 1 15:29:16 2006
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