Abstract
In his remarks on the philosophy of mathematics, Wittgenstein emphasizes three aspects of proofs: (1) that proofs contribute to the meaning of the concepts involved in theorems, (2) that there is a fundamental difference between proofs and experiments, and (3) that proofs must be surveyable. He sees these aspects as inseparable from each other and as features of the grammar of proofs. This paper illuminates Wittgenstein’s view on mathematical proofs by discussing these three aspects of proofs and by considering how a specific proof – of the Bolzano Weierstrass theorem – exhibits them.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Philosophy of logic and mathematics |
| Subtitle of host publication | Contributions to the 41st international Wittgenstein symposium |
| Editors | Gabriele M. Mras, Paul Weingartner, Bernhard Ritter |
| Place of Publication | Kirchberg am Wechsel |
| Publisher | Austian Ludwig Wittgenstein Society (ALWS) |
| Pages | 21-23 |
| Number of pages | 3 |
| Publication status | Published - 2018 |
| MoE publication type | A4 Article in a conference publication |
Keywords
- Wittgenstein, Ludwig
- philosophy of mathematics
- proof