[Revised entry by Øystein Linnebo on March 28, 2023.
Changes to: Main text, Bibliography, notes.html]
Platonism about mathematics (or mathematical platonism) is the metaphysical view that there are abstract mathematical objects whose existence is independent of us and our language, thought, and practices. Just as electrons and planets exist independently of us, so do numbers and sets. And just as statements about electrons and planets are made true or false by the objects with which they are concerned and these objects’ perfectly objective properties, so are statements about numbers and sets. Mathematical truths are…

Originally appeared on Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Read More