FOM: Epistemology vs. Ontology of Number: Number as a notion of specific kind.

[Alex]

Neil Tennant wrote:

>  The notion of natural number
> and the laws of arithmetic arise out of the working of *any concepts
> whatsoever that divide their reference*, that is, under which
> re-identifiable individuals fall. It is so deeply meshed in the
> conceptual system of any sufficiently mature intellect that, once
> discovered and appreciated, it's there to stay.
>
>  The numbers themselves don't need
> interpretations. Only numerals do. The interpretation of a numeral is
> that it denotes a number.

Dear Neil ! Could you please crarify your views concerning numbers as
notions.P.S.__________
Maybe some discussions just mix epistemology with ontology of numbers?
Interactions between epistemological and ontological levels (between conceptual
schemes and real world  facts) seem to be very interesting.
***the applicability of the rules of arithmetic to objects in the physical
universe is an empirically observed phenomenon***

"Alex V. Kuz" <intech at intsar.com>