Is strict finitism arbitrary?
Abstract Strict finitism posits a largest natural number. The view is usually thought to be objectionably arbitrary. After all, there seems to be no apparent reason as to why the natural numbers should ‘stop’ at a specific point and not a bit later on the natural line. Drawing on how arguments from arbitrariness are employed in mereology, I propose several ways of understanding this objection against strict finitism. No matter how it is understood, I argue that it is always found wanting.
Authors
- Nuno Maia (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3149-2629)
Institutions
- University of Salzburg (AT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- The Philosophical Quarterly
- Published
- 2024-08-08
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1093/pq/pqae093
- Primary Topic
- Philosophy and Theoretical Science
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Austrian Science Fund
- Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia