more on this theme | more from this thinker | more from this text
Full Idea
Number words have a singular term use, and adjectival (or determiner) use, and the symbolic use. The main question is how they relate to each other.
Gist of Idea
Numbers are used as singular terms, as adjectives, and as symbols
Source
Thomas Hofweber (Ontology and the Ambitions of Metaphysics [2016], 05.1)
Book Ref
Hofweber,Thomas: 'Ontology and the Ambitions of Metaphysics' [OUP 2018], p.117
A Reaction
Thus 'the number four is even', 'there are four moons', and '4 comes after 3'.
Related Idea
Idea 21645 'Semantic type coercion' is selecting the reading of a word to make the best sense [Hofweber]