[서울대 철학사상연구소] 콜로키움

 서울대철학사상연구소에서는 분석철학계에서 국제적 명성을 얻고 있는 토론토 대학의 이병욱 교수를 모시고 콜로키움을 하기로 하였습니다.

여러분들의 많은 관심과 참여 부탁드립니다.

제목: Cognition of the many and mathematical knowledge

강연자: 토론토 대학 철학과 교수 이병욱

일시: 2014년 5월 7일(수요일) 오후 4시부터 – 6시

장소: 서울대 철학사상연구소(인문대학 6동 403)

아래는 이병욱 교수가 발표할 글의 초록입니다.

In this talk, I will present a conception of natural numbers and clarify a source of knowledge of mathematics, in particular arithmetic. In my view, natural numbers are properties of a special kind. They are what I call plural properties, properties that in some sense pertain to the many as such. The number two, for example, is the numerical property of being two, and this is a property instantiated by any two things albeit not by any one of them. And we have empirical, and even perceptual, access to some of the numerical properties identified as natural numbers(e.g., being two or being three), just as we have empirical access to some colors or shapes. We can see that the eggs in front of us are two, that the chairs over there are three, etc. I will argue that this view of numbers, and of our cognitive access to them, yields a suitable response to the challenge to explain how we can have mathematical knowledge that dates back to Plato and has recently been forcefully presented by Paul Benacerraf.