Single Idea 18206

[catalogued under 15. Nature of Minds / C. Capacities of Minds / 6. Idealisation]

Full Idea

In science we treat the earth's surface as flat, we assume the ocean to be infinitely deep, we use continuous functions for what we know to be quantised, and we take liquids to be continuous despite atomic theory.

Gist of Idea

Science idealises the earth's surface, the oceans, continuities, and liquids

Source

Penelope Maddy (Naturalism in Mathematics [1997], II.6)

Book Reference

Maddy,Penelope: 'Naturalism in Mathematics' [OUP 2000], p.143


A Reaction

If fussy people like scientists do this all the time, how much more so must the confused multitude be doing the same thing all day?