The Commens Dictionary

Quote from ‘A Brief Intellectual Autobiography by Charles Sanders Peirce’

Term: 
Mathematics
Quote: 

Mathematics merely traces out the consequences of hypotheses without caring whether they correspond to anything real or not. It is purely deductive, and all necessary inference is mathematics, pure or applied. Its hypotheses are suggested by any of the other sciences, but its assumption of them is not a scientific act.

Source: 
Peirce, Charles S. (1983). A Brief Intellectual Autobiography by Charles Sanders Peirce
Date: 
1904
References: 
Peirce, 1983, p. 70; MS [R] L107:18
Editorial Annotations: 

This quote has been taken from Kenneth Laine Ketner's 1983 reconstruction of Peirce's 'Autobiography'

Citation: 
‘Mathematics’ (pub. 14.03.18-13:41). Quote in M. Bergman & S. Paavola (Eds.), The Commens Dictionary: Peirce's Terms in His Own Words. New Edition. Retrieved from http://www.commens.org/dictionary/entry/quote-brief-intellectual-autobiography-charles-sanders-peirce-5.
Posted: 
Mar 14, 2018, 13:41 by Mats Bergman