Do numbers EXIST? - Numberphile

An expert on the philosophy of mathematics, Dr Jonathan Tallant, outlines some of the key arguments about whether or not numbers ACTUALLY EXIST?

Exploring platonism, nominalism and fictionalism.

Jonathan works in the University of Nottingham's Philosophy Department. Brady does more philosophy videos with Jonathan and the others at http://www.youtube.com/user/Philosoph...

Jonathan talks about the philosophy of time in this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zw6hS_...

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Videos by Brady Haran

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[Don Throughsix]

None of these three are especially satisfying. Is there any philosophical position more substantive in logic? Say, in or around Whitehead & Russell's Principia Mathematica.

[SirrKz]

Well as much as he/she can prove its not there, you can prove its there. why dont you put your hand through a number proving IT'S THERE.

[TheLilmonn]

I have existing proof that numbers exist: 123456789

[Lissbirds]

Correct me if I am wrong, but you are saying that numbers are a subdivision of objects. (There are physical objects in the world, then we might have 10 chairs, therefore 10 is a subdivision of chair, much like a cell is a subdivision of a leaf.) Wouldn't this mean that "10" is a property of "table" much like "brown" is a property to describe a particular table? Hence, would it not follow that "10" is not something that exists on its own, and therefore, not real?

[L. Tischmann]

...no. try again

[Brian Brinck Nielsen]

How do you explain secret geometry and that French number sequence that fits 100% too" =)

[LeChaosRampant]

Fool's answer: "What exactly do you mean by 'existing'?"

[TheGolden Floydian]

In which way do you mean?

[Foxyboy The Fennec]

Numbers. Are a class of information.

Informations are information. Nor matter or energy. an entity of it's own. I remmember reading that from one of Perry Marshall posts in his site. The Cosmic fingerprint.

Probably the same idea.