The meaing of mathematics in Against the Day.....

[Ray Easton]

Carvill, John wrote:
> << The phrase "foundational crisis" in reference to mathematics does have a 
> pretty specific meaning, and the "foundational crisis" has nothing to do 
> with any "applications" of mathematics, including physics.  It is 
> concerned with the purely theoretical, or philosophical -- specifically 
> with the nature of mathematical truth. >>
>
> >From an non-math-expert standpoint, I thought that sort of thing *was* dealt with, a lot, in ATD? Can you explain what the specific meaning of the phrase 'foundational crisis' is to you, and thus demonstrate that it is not mentioned in ATD? Not being argumentative, just curious.
>   



The discussion in the link provided by David Morris --


                http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundations_of_mathematics


-- adequately explains the "standard" meaning of the phrase.



> << BTW, my observation was not meant as a criticism of AtD.  Though I 
> loathe AtD, I am not claiming that the lack of a serious discussion of 
> "the crisis in mathematics" is a fault. >>
>
> Strong stuff. Hard to imagine anyone *loathing* ATD. I mean, I was *frustrated* by it, intermittently, but it is, surely, (a) a work of genius, and (b) a thing of wondrous beauty.
>
>
>   
 

This use of the word 'surely' is reminiscent of the use of the phrase 
'it is obvious that...' in mathematical writing, which typically 
appears, as every student of mathematics quickly learns, exactly when 
the claim being made is anything but obvious to the the reader.  I find 
lots of brilliant baubles strewn through AtD, but I do not find it a 
thing of beauty, wondrous or otherwise.  I do agree that AtD is the work 
of *a* genius -- and I think that this is evident from the text itself, 
that to draw this conclusion does not require that one know anything 
about the writer or his other works -- but I do not find it to be a work 
of genius. 

Ray