The Difference Between Objectivity and Realism in the Philosophy of Mathematics

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Carol Costello: I am a realist about the physical world, but not about mathematics. She says there is a difference between objectivity and realism in philosophy of maths. Costello: A mathematical realist doesn't just think that there are axioms of number theory from which we can derive the fact that there is no greatest prime number.

Welcome to the April 2023 Ask Me Anything episode of Mindscape! These monthly excursions are funded by Patreon supporters (who are also the ones asking the questions). We take questions asked by Patreons, whittle them down to a more manageable number — based primarily on whether I have anything interesting to say about them, not whether the questions themselves are good — and sometimes group them together if they are about a similar topic. Enjoy!

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