philosophy

AS Philosophy

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mathematics

Rationalists say mathematical truths are mind independent and true a priori. We can find these truths by use of reason independent of experience

E.g. Plato says the truths of mathematics show us how to gain knowledge which must be of the forms rather than the mere opinions we can acquire from sense experience The Meno: Socrates shows that Meno's slave knows that the square on the hypoteneuse is equal to the sum of the squares on the other two sides by RECOLLECTION alone

Empiricists might claim that mathematical truths are not mind independent, rather they are a language which we learn by experience or they might say that mathematical truths are mere tautologies and therefore not substantive

menp (http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2574/3678134173_eaa098a08d_t.jpg)

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