Economics Dictionary of ArgumentsHome | |||
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Geometry: Geometry is the branch of mathematics that deals with the shapes, sizes, and positions of figures. See also Mathematics, Arithmetics, Forms. _____________Annotation: The above characterizations of concepts are neither definitions nor exhausting presentations of problems related to them. Instead, they are intended to give a short introduction to the contributions below. – Lexicon of Arguments. | |||
Author | Concept | Summary/Quotes | Sources |
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Hartry Field on Geometry - Dictionary of Arguments
III 25 Axioms/geometry/Hilbert: geometry can do without real numbers. Quantifiers: go beyond regions of the physical space. Predicates: among others: "is a point"- "x is between y u z", "inclusive betweenness": i.e. it is permissible that y = x or y = z. >Quantifiers. III 26 Segment congruence/congruence: (instead of distance) four-digit predicate "xy cong zw" intuitively: "the distance between point x and point y is the same as that from point z to point w". Angle congruence: six-digit predicate "xyz-" W-Comg tuv-": the angle xyz (with y as the tip) has the same size as the angle tuv (with u as a tip). N.B./Field: Distance and angle size cannot be defined at all because it is not quantified using real numbers. III 32 Addition/multiplication: Addition and multiplication is not possible in Hilbert's geometry - (only with arbitrary zero point and arbitrary 1). Solution: intervals instead of points. III 32 f Hilbert/Geometry/Axioms/Field: Multiplication of intervals: not possible because we need an arbitrary "unity-interval". Solution: comparison of products of intervals. Generalization/Field: is then possible on products of space-time intervals with scalar intervals ((s) E.g. temperature difference, pressure difference). Field: therefore space-time points cannot be regarded as real numbers. >Spacetime points, >Real numbers. III 42 Geometry/Field: a) metric: platonistic, quantification via real numbers (> functions) b) synthetic: without real numbers: E.g. Hilbert, also Euclid (because he had no theory of real numbers). (This is also possible without functions). Advantage: no external, causally irrelevant entities. >Mathematical entities, >Theoretical entities._____________Explanation of symbols: Roman numerals indicate the source, arabic numerals indicate the page number. The corresponding books are indicated on the right hand side. ((s)…): Comment by the sender of the contribution. Translations: Dictionary of Arguments The note [Concept/Author], [Author1]Vs[Author2] or [Author]Vs[term] resp. "problem:"/"solution:", "old:"/"new:" and "thesis:" is an addition from the Dictionary of Arguments. If a German edition is specified, the page numbers refer to this edition. |
Field I H. Field Realism, Mathematics and Modality Oxford New York 1989 Field II H. Field Truth and the Absence of Fact Oxford New York 2001 Field III H. Field Science without numbers Princeton New Jersey 1980 Field IV Hartry Field "Realism and Relativism", The Journal of Philosophy, 76 (1982), pp. 553-67 In Theories of Truth, Paul Horwich, Aldershot 1994 |