[Xmca-l] Re: Objectivity of mathematics

[anna sfard]

No, Andy, I don’t think this was, or should be, said. I apologize in advance
for quoting myself, but it would be too much to try to say things anew in
the middle of work on an all different text:

"mathematical communication apparently reverses the developmental order
known from ‎colloquial discourses: whereas these latter discourses are
created for the sake of ‎communication about physical reality, in
mathematical discourse objects are created for ‎the sake of communication.
True, also mathematical communication is supposed, ‎eventually, to mediate
practical activities, and thus to pertain, in one way or another to the
‎world of primary objects that predate the discourse. However, this fact may
easily escape ‎one’s attention. The realization trees of mathematical
signifiers [for the sake of the present conversation, you may replace the
"realization trees" with "chains of signification"], although likely to have
‎primary objects or processes on such objects at their basis, may be too
rich and complex ‎to be embraced at a glance. Leaving the concrete
foundations of such trees temporarily out of sight ‎may thus be the
condition for the proficiency of mathematical communication.‎"

Xmca-ing is addictive!

anna



-----Original Message-----
From: xmca-l-bounces@mailman.ucsd.edu
[mailto:xmca-l-bounces@mailman.ucsd.edu] On Behalf Of Andy Blunden
Sent: Sunday, November 09, 2014 2:41 PM
To: eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity
Subject: [Xmca-l] Re: Objectivity of mathematics

"Nothing outside the text" is a way of saying that "the text alone forms the
object."
Would you agree, in the context of mathematics, that the text alone forms
the object?
Andy
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Andy Blunden*
http://home.pacific.net.au/~andy/


Martin John Packer wrote:
> Who has said that there is nothing outside the text, Andy? Not Foucault,
not Anna, not Huw, not me, not Ed, and not Luis so far as I can see. If this
is the question that is at issue for you here, I think you're the only
person for whom it is an issue. 
>
> Martin
>
> On Nov 9, 2014, at 3:52 AM, Andy Blunden <ablunden@mira.net> wrote:
>
>   
>> Is there really *nothing* outside the text?
>>     
>
>
>
>
>