Mathematics, Models, and Modality
Selected Philosophical Essays

Burgess's essays address key topics including nominalism, neo-logicism, intuitionism, modal logic, analyticity, and translation.

John P. Burgess (Author)

9780521880343, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 21 February 2008

316 pages
23.4 x 15.5 x 2.3 cm, 0.642 kg

John Burgess is the author of a rich and creative body of work which seeks to defend classical logic and mathematics through counter-criticism of their nominalist, intuitionist, relevantist, and other critics. This selection of his essays, which spans twenty-five years, addresses key topics including nominalism, neo-logicism, intuitionism, modal logic, analyticity, and translation. An introduction sets the essays in context and offers a retrospective appraisal of their aims. The volume will be of interest to a wide range of readers across philosophy of mathematics, logic, and philosophy of language.

Introduction
Part I. Mathematics: 1. Numbers and ideas
2. Why I am not a nominalist
3. Mathematics and Bleak House
4. Quine, analyticity, and philosophy of mathematics
5. Being explained away
6. E pluribus unum
7. Logicism: a new look
Part II. Models, Modality, and More: 8. Tarski's tort
9. Which modal logic is the right one?
10. Can truth out?
11. Quinus ab omni noevo vindicatus
12. Translating names
13. Relevance: a fallacy?
14. Dummett's case for intuitionism.

Subject Areas: Mathematical logic [PBCD], Mathematics [PB], Philosophy: logic [HPL], Analytical philosophy & Logical Positivism [HPCF5], Philosophy [HP]