Tuesday, 7 December 2004
De-linearising Mathematical Notation
Thomas Forster
University of Cambridge
12:05 pm, 817R Cathedral of Learning
Abstract: There is a strong tendency for our notations
to be linear, perhaps because time is linear. One effect of this
is a prominence of linear orders in statements of theorems about
syntax; a prominence that might have no basis in the mathematics
being notated. An obvious place to start a program of removing spurious
talk of total orders is with the idea (due originally to Ramsey)
of a set of indiscernibles and thinking about how to rephrase theorems
(such as Ehrenfeucht-Mostowski) that make use of it. This is a non-technical
talk for those interested in philosophy of language and philosophy
of mathematics, not for logicians, though they are welcome too!
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