Devine, James wrote:
> according to many philosophers of math (according to JKS), math
> exists outside of us whether we use it or not.
>
well, what does 'exist' mean? physical existence?
(btw, i think bernays has a good definition of a sort of restricted
platonism that he is happy with and i would venture many mathematicians
implicitly use. hilary putnam calls himself a realist. i am sure a whole
host of phil., of math are still influenced by carnap style positivism,
as there are others influenced by godel's platonism -- i recall reading
a debate between hawkings and penrose, where hawkings, noting himself a
positivist of sorts, suggested penrose, the mathematician, was a
platonist. i don't recall penrose's response, unfortunately!).
--ravi
