Meaning in Mathematics pdf

John Carlton Polkinghorn, British theoretical physicist, religious thinker, writer, and Anglican priest, born in 1930 As president of Queen's College Cambridge from 1988 to 1996, Polkinghorne authored five books on physics and twenty-six books on the relationship between science and religion. His books include Quantum World 1989, Quantum Physics and Theology: An Unexpected Connection 2005, Exploring Truth: The Intertwining of Science and Religion 2007 , Questions of Truth 2009, A Polkinghorn Reader (edited by Thomas J. Ord) and providing key summaries of Polkinghorn's most influential books, knighted in 1997 and awarded a £1m Templeton Prize in 2002 for his outstanding contributions to affirming the spiritual dimension of life.

Meaning in Mathematics pdf by John Polkinghorne

Is mathematics a highly sophisticated intellectual game in which the adepts display their skill by tackling invented problems, or are mathematicians engaged in acts of discovery as they explore an independent realm of mathematical reality? Why does this seemingly abstract discipline provide the key to unlocking the deep secrets of the physical universe? How one answers these questions will significantly influence metaphysical thinking about reality. This book is intended to fill a gap between popular 'wonders of mathematics' books and the technical writings of the philosophers of mathematics. The chapters are written by some of the world's finest mathematicians, mathematical physicists and philosophers of mathematics, each giving their perspective on this fascinating debate. Every chapter is followed by a short response from another member of the author team, reinforcing the main theme and raising further questions.Accessible to anyone interested in what mathematics really means, and useful for mathematicians and philosophers of science at all levels, Meaning in Mathematics offers deep new insights into a subject many people take for granted.