Ideas from 'Mathematics, Science and Language' by Luitzen E.J. Brouwer [1928], by Theme Structure

[found in 'From Kant to Hilbert: sourcebook Vol. 2' (ed/tr Ewald,William) [OUP 1996,0-19-850536-1]].

green numbers give full details    |     back to texts     |     unexpand these ideas

---

6. Mathematics / A. Nature of Mathematics / 1. Mathematics

18119

Mathematics is a mental activity which does not use language

			Full Idea: Brouwer made the rather extraordinary claim that mathematics is a mental activity which uses no language.
			From: report of Luitzen E.J. Brouwer (Mathematics, Science and Language [1928]) by David Bostock - Philosophy of Mathematics 7.1
			A reaction: Since I take language to have far less of a role in thought than is commonly believed, I don't think this idea is absurd. I would say that we don't use language much when we are talking!

6. Mathematics / A. Nature of Mathematics / 4. Using Numbers / g. Applying mathematics

18118

Brouwer regards the application of mathematics to the world as somehow 'wicked'

			Full Idea: Brouwer regards as somehow 'wicked' the idea that mathematics can be applied to a non-mental subject matter, the physical world, and that it might develop in response to the needs which that application reveals.
			From: report of Luitzen E.J. Brouwer (Mathematics, Science and Language [1928]) by David Bostock - Philosophy of Mathematics 7.1
			A reaction: The idea is that mathematics only concerns creations of the human mind. It presumably has no more application than, say, noughts-and-crosses.