On Mathematical Explanations of Empirical Phenomena: Indispensability, Number Theory, and Mathematical...

— —

Lars Arthur Tump

On Mathematical Explanations of Empirical Phenomena

Indispensability, Number Theory, and Mathematical Counterfactual Dependence

Lars Arthur Tump

$221.95 $177.72

Hardback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

Springer International Publishing AG
08 August 2025

Philosophy: logic; Philosophy of mathematics; Philosophy of science

Series: Synthese Library

This book addresses contemporary issues in the philosophy of mathematics that deal with the role of mathematics in explanations of empirical phenomena. It brings together various debates, such as on indispensability, number theory, abstraction principles, and counterpossibles, which turn out to be highly relevant for evaluating the role of the mathematics in question. The book consists of two parts and has a general introduction of the broader context in which the discussions take place. The first part focuses on the possibility of extracting an argument for mathematical realism in relation to the explanatory indispensability argument, and shows that circularity looms unless a controversial abstraction principle is assumed. It also offers an alternative non-mathematical explanation that makes use of relative interpretation. The second part focuses on the possibility of bringing out the explanatory role of mathematics counterfactually, and shows that, due to the necessary nature of mathematics, any proposal should take into account discussions on the knowledge and the structure of numbers. As a whole, this book is of great use to academic research in the field of philosophy of mathematics.

By: Lars Arthur Tump
Imprint: Springer International Publishing AG
Country of Publication: Switzerland
Volume: 517
Dimensions: Height: 235mm, Width: 155mm,
ISBN: 9783031988592
ISBN 10: 3031988590
Series: Synthese Library
Pages: 129
Publication Date: 08 August 2025
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Lars Arthur Tump is a research fellow at KU Leuven’s Institute of Philosophy and a member of its Centre for Logic and Philosophy of Science. His areas of expertise include the philosophy of mathematics, logic, and science.