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Avicenna on the Nature of Mathematical Objects

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 September 2016

MOHAMMAD SALEH ZAREPOUR
MOHAMMAD SALEH ZAREPOUR*
Affiliation:
University of Cambridge
*
*<msz26@cam.ac.uk>
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Abstract

Some authors have proposed that Avicenna considers mathematical objects, i.e., geometric shapes and numbers, to be mental existents completely separated from matter. In this paper, I will show that this description, though not completely wrong, is misleading. Avicenna endorses, I will argue, some sort of literalism, potentialism, and finitism.

Certains auteurs ont proposé qu’Avicenne considérait les objets mathématiques, à savoir les formes géométriques et les nombres, comme étant mentaux et complètement séparés de la matière. Dans cet article, je vais montrer que cette description, qui n’est pas complètement fausse, est cependant trompeuse. Avicenne approuve, je soutiendrai, une sorte de littéralisme, de potentialisme et de finitisme.

Keywords

Avicennamathematical objectsestimationimmaterialityseparabilitydependency on materiality
Type
Articles
Information
Dialogue: Canadian Philosophical Review / Revue canadienne de philosophie , Volume 55 , Issue 3 , September 2016 , pp. 511 - 536
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Copyright © Canadian Philosophical Association 2016 

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