Gaos Lectures, UNAM, 27 February - 9 March 2012
Sala GAOS, planta baja del IIFs, 12:00 a 14:00 hrs.

The Mathematical Animal
Philosophical thoughts about mathematics as a human activity

Ian Hacking

[Collège de France and University of Toronto]

"--For mathematics is after all an anthropological phenomenon." [Wittgenstein]

P R O G R A M

Monday, 27th February
1. What makes mathematics mathematics?

Wednesday, 29th February
2. Why is there philosophy of mathematics at all?

Friday, 2nd March
3. Is platonism about mathematics as boring as it seems to be? (Pythagoreanism is bold, but is it as preposterous as it appears?)

Monday, 5th March
4. Don't ask for the reference, ask for the use!

Wednesday, 7th March
5. Kant's question, "How is pure mathematics possible?", becomes: Why is mathematics so useful in finding out about the world? (How is "applied" mathematics possible!)

Friday, 9th March
6. Islands of cognitive history: How did mathematics become possible in the history of this species?