Really? What is Mathematics by Reuben Hersh

Really? What is Mathematics by Reuben Hersh

Most philosophers of mathematics treat it as isolated, timeless, ahistorical, inhuman. Reuben Hersh argues the contrary, that mathematics must be understood as a human activity, a social phenomenon, part of human culture, historically evolved, and intelligible only in a social context. Hersh pulls the screen back to reveal mathematics as seen by professionals, debunking many mathematical myths, and demonstrating how the "humanist" idea of the nature of mathematics more closely resembles how mathematicians actually work. At the heart of his book is a fascinating historical account of the mainstream of philosophy--ranging from Pythagoras, Descartes, and Spinoza, to Bertrand Russell, David Hilbert, and Rudolph Carnap--followed by the mavericks who saw mathematics as a human artifact, including Aristotle, Locke, Hume, Mill, and Lakatos.What is Mathematics, Really? reflects an insider's view of mathematical life, and will be hotly debated by anyone with an interest in mathematics or the philosophy of science.

Reuben Hersh was a professor at a number of prestigious schools and institutions across the country. He now lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, after retiring.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780195130874
ISBN 10	0195130871
Title	Really? What is Mathematics
Author	Reuben Hersh
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Oxford University Press Inc
Year published	1999-07-08
Number of pages	368
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.