Aristotle On Mathematical Infinity

Aristotle was the first not only to distinguish between potential and actual infinity but also to insist that potential infinity alone is enough for mathematics thus initiating an issue still central to the philosophy of mathematics. Modern scholarship, however, has attacked Aristotle's thesis because, according to the received doctrine, it does not square with Euclidean geometry and it also seems to contravene Aristotle's belief in the finitude of the physical universe. This monograph, the first thorough study of the issue, puts Aristotle's views on infinity in the proper perspective. Through a close study of the relevant Aristotelian passages it shows that the Stagirite's theory of infinity forms a well argued philosophical position which does not bear on his belief in a finite cosmos and does not undermine the Euclidean nature of geometry. The monograph draws a much more positive picture of Aristotle's views and reaffirms his disputed stature as a serious philosopher of mathematics. This innovative and stimulating contribution will be essential reading to a wide range of scholars, including classicists, philosophers of science and mathematics as well as historians of ideas.

This historical study of the infinite covers all its aspects from the mathematical to the mystical. Anyone who has ever pondered the limitlessness of space and time, or the endlessness of numbers, or the perfection of God will recognize the special fascination of the subject. Beginning with an entertaining account of the main paradoxes of the infinite, including those of Zeno, A.W. Moore traces the history of the topic from Aristotle to Kant, Hegel, Cantor, and Wittgenstein.

Infinity is a fascinating subject. What do we mean when we use the concept of infinity? What did the ancient Greeks mean? What do modern mathematicians mean when they use infinity in their calculations? What are the debates of contemporary philosophers of mathematics regarding the infinite? This book, starting from Aristotle and Plato, tries to retrace the steps that led to contemporary conceptions of infinity. The book also deals with the first mathematical problem of the twentieth century on Hilbert's list with no solution that has correlations with the concept of infinity. Is the mathematical universe unique or do we have infinite parallel universes with different truths? This is a question related to the concept of infinity and the book tries to answer it. The goal of this book is to make the mathematics of infinity accessible by showing the most incredible mathematical results of the last century and deepening the themes of contemporary debates in mathematics and philosophy regarding infinity. EMANUELE GAMBETTA obtained his PHD in philosophy of mathematics from the Scuola Normale Superiore with cum laude mark. He was a visiting research student at the university of Barcelona where he participated in the seminars of the set theory center. He has been a visiting graduate student in many universities around the world. Infinity is a fascinating subject. What do we mean when we use the concept of infinity? What did the ancient Greeks mean? What do modern mathematicians mean when they use infinity in their calculations? What are the debates of contemporary philosophers of mathematics regarding the infinite? This book, starting from Aristotle and Plato, tries to retrace the steps that led to contemporary conceptions of infinity. The book also deals with the first mathematical problem of the twentieth century on Hilbert's list with no solution that has correlations with the concept of infinity. Is the mathematical universe unique or do we have infinite parallel universes with different truths? This is a question related to the concept of infinity and the book tries to answer it. The goal of this book is to make the mathematics of infinity accessible by showing the most incredible mathematical results of the last century and deepening the themes of contemporary debates in mathematics and philosophy regarding infinity. EMANUELE GAMBETTA obtained his PHD in philosophy of mathematics from the Scuola Normale Superiore with cum laude mark. He was a visiting research student at the university of Barcelona where he participated in the seminars of the set theory center. He has been a visiting graduate student in many universities around the world. Infinity is a fascinating subject. What do we mean when we use the concept of infinity? What did the ancient Greeks mean? What do modern mathematicians mean when they use infinity in their calculations? What are the debates of contemporary philosophers of mathematics regarding the infinite? This book, starting from Aristotle and Plato, tries to retrace the steps that led to contemporary conceptions of infinity. The book also deals with the first mathematical problem of the twentieth century on Hilbert's list with no solution that has correlations with the concept of infinity. Is the mathematical universe unique or do we have infinite parallel universes with different truths? This is a question related to the concept of infinity and the book tries to answer it. The goal of this book is to make the mathematics of infinity accessible by showing the most incredible mathematical results of the last century and deepening the themes of contemporary debates in mathematics and philosophy regarding infinity. EMANUELE GAMBETTA obtained his PHD in philosophy of mathematics from the Scuola Normale Superiore with cum laude mark. He was a visiting research student at the university of Barcelona where he participated in the seminars of the set theory center. He has been a visiting graduate student in many universities around the world.

John Cleary here explores the role which the mathematical sciences play in Aristotle's philosophical thought, especially in his cosmology, metaphysics, and epistemology. He also thematizes the aporetic method by means of which he deals with philosophical questions about the foundations of mathematics. The first two chapters consider Plato's mathematical cosmology in the light of Aristotle's critical distinction between physics and mathematics. Subsequent chapters examine three basic aporiae about mathematical objects which Aristotle himself develops in his science of first philosophy. What emerges from this dialectical inquiry is a different conception of substance and of order in the universe, which gives priority to physics over mathematics as the cosmological science. Within this different world-view, we can better understand what we now call Aristotle's philosophy of mathematics.

Infinity is an intriguing topic, with connections to religion, philosophy, metaphysics, logic, and physics as well as mathematics. Its history goes back to ancient times, with especially important contributions from Euclid, Aristotle, Eudoxus, and Archimedes. The infinitely large (infinite) is intimately related to the infinitely small (infinitesimal). Cosmologists consider sweeping questions about whether space and time are infinite. Philosophers and mathematicians ranging from Zeno to Russell have posed numerous paradoxes about infinity and infinitesimals. Many vital areas of mathematics rest upon some version of infinity. The most obvious, and the first context in which major new techniques depended on formulating infinite processes, is calculus. But there are many others, for example Fourier analysis and fractals. In this Very Short Introduction, Ian Stewart discusses infinity in mathematics while also drawing in the various other aspects of infinity and explaining some of the major problems and insights arising from this concept. He argues that working with infinity is not just an abstract, intellectual exercise but that it is instead a concept with important practical everyday applications, and considers how mathematicians use infinity and infinitesimals to answer questions or supply techniques that do not appear to involve the infinite. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Originally published in 1949. This meticulously researched book presents a comprehensive outline and discussion of Aristotle’s mathematics with the author's translations of the greek. To Aristotle, mathematics was one of the three theoretical sciences, the others being theology and the philosophy of nature (physics). Arranged thematically, this book considers his thinking in relation to the other sciences and looks into such specifics as squaring of the circle, syllogism, parallels, incommensurability of the diagonal, angles, universal proof, gnomons, infinity, agelessness of the universe, surface of water, meteorology, metaphysics and mechanics such as levers, rudders, wedges, wheels and inertia. The last few short chapters address ‘problems’ that Aristotle posed but couldn’t answer, related ethics issues and a summary of some short treatises that only briefly touch on mathematics.