FOM: Re: Hersh/Rota/Feferman/Lakatos

Reuben Hersh rhersh at math.unm.edu
Fri Jan 2 23:07:08 EST 1998


Mathematics (like most anything else) can be characterized in

several ways.  You don't say that my characterization is

incorrect, you just say it isn't the proper kind of characterization

that you are seeking.  This is true, it isn't.

I have made some beginning, partial attempts to describe

or to characterize informal but convincing mathematical 

thinking.  You can find some such--admittedly incomplete

and fragmentary comments--under the heading of "intuition"

in my book.

Would you be kind enough to spell out "apodictic" for me?

Thank you.

Reuben Hersh



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