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Algebras, Projective Geometry, Mathematical Logic, and Constructing the World: Intersections in the Philosophy of Mathematics of A. N. Whitehead

Algebras, projective geometry, mathematical logic, and constructing the world: intersections in the philosophy of mathematics of A. N. Whitehead.
Authors: Grattan-Guinness, I.;

Algebras, Projective Geometry, Mathematical Logic, and Constructing the World: Intersections in the Philosophy of Mathematics of A. N. Whitehead

Abstract

From the late 1890s on, Alfred North Whitehead (1861--1947) was one of the key figures in the attempt to provide logical foundations to pure and applied mathematics. In this paper, I. Grattan-Guinness explores all the main issues at stake from the perspective of the development of Whitehead's thought. The paper expands his seminal \textit{The Search for Mathematical Roots, 1870--1940}, published Princeton University Press (2000; Zbl 0962.03002). Section 1 contextualizes the topic. Section 2 reviews the material provided by the early Whitehead: on the one hand, his \textit{Treatise on Universal Algebra} (1898; JFM 29.0066.03) and on the other, the history of his collaboration with Russell. Section 3 focuses on Whitehead's extraordinarily dense 1905 paper (''On Mathematical Concepts of the Material World'')(JFM 37.0806.01) where five logical concepts of space, time and matter are axiomatized a priori with the reformed symbolism of the forthcoming \textit{Principia}. Section 4 introduces the reader to the revolutionary \textit{Principia Mathematica} (1910--1913) (JFM 41.0083.02, JFM 43.0093.03, JFM 44.0068.01) mainly with the help of the two \textit{Tracts} of 1906 and 1907 that announce both the \textit{Principia} themselves and the later epistemological inquiries. Section 5 lays pathways towards the understanding of the late Whitehead's process philosophy in terms of his algebraist and logicist past. Space, time and matter are now analysed from the standpoint of a reformed relativity (Whitehead was unsatisfied with Einstein's substantialistic premises) exploiting the \textit{mereological} ``method of extensive abstraction''. \textit{Process and Reality} (1929) expands these lineaments in two complementary directions: methodological (with the ``method of imaginative generalization'') and ontological (with the ``relation of extensive connection''). Grattan-Guinness is exceptionally knowledgeable in the ins and outs of the \textit{Principia} themselves. Of course, the intricacy of the development of Whitehead's thought being what it is, one cannot really complain about the numerous issues that \textit{could} have been developed -- like the steady importance of the notion of vectors (from the \textit{Universal Algebra} to \textit{Process and Reality}) or the synergy that exists between \textit{Process and Reality}'s parts III (that exposes the purely conceptual conditions of possibility of ``genetic'' process) and IV (that reveals the mereological axiomatic of ``coordinate'' process). In conclusion, this excellent paper, worthy of the reputation of its author, is of the highest interest for mathematicians as well as Whiteheadian philosophers.

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Keywords

History, Mathematics(all), geometry, W. V. O. Quine, G. Riemann, History of mathematical logic and foundations, Philosophy of mathematics, mathematics (foundation of), A. N. Whitehead, B. Russell, History of mathematics in the 20th century, relativity physics, K. von Staudt, logic, J. J. Sylvester, process philosophy, H. Grassmann, G. Peano, Philosophical and critical aspects of logic and foundations, Biographies, obituaries, personalia, bibliographies, Principia Mathematica, R. Carnap, A. Kempe, G. Cantor, G. Boole

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selected citations
These citations are derived from selected sources.
This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Citations provided by BIP!
popularity
This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Popularity provided by BIP!
influence
This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Influence provided by BIP!
impulse
This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Impulse provided by BIP!
8
Average
Top 10%
Average
hybrid