Morris, Rebecca (2019) Do mathematical explanations have instrumental value? Synthese. ISSN 1573-0964
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Abstract
Scientific explanations are widely recognized to have instrumental value by helping scientists make predictions and control their environment. In this paper I raise, and provide a first analysis of, the question whether explanatory proofs in mathematics have analogous instrumental value. I first identify an important goal in mathematical practice: reusing resources from existing proofs to solve new problems. I then consider the more specific question: do explanatory proofs have instrumental value by promoting reuse of the resources they contain? In general, I argue that the answer to this question is "no" and demonstrate this in detail for the theory of mathematical explanation developed by Marc Lange.
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| Item Type: | Published Article or Volume | ||||||
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| Keywords: | Mathematical explanation, Scientific explanation, Mathematical practice, Proof | ||||||
| Subjects: | Specific Sciences > Mathematics > Explanation Specific Sciences > Mathematics > Practice Specific Sciences > Mathematics > Proof |
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| Depositing User: | Dr Rebecca Lea Morris | ||||||
| Date Deposited: | 02 Feb 2019 05:17 | ||||||
| Last Modified: | 02 Feb 2019 05:17 | ||||||
| Item ID: | 15700 | ||||||
| Journal or Publication Title: | Synthese | ||||||
| Publisher: | Springer (Springer Science+Business Media B.V.) | ||||||
| DOI or Unique Handle: | 10.1007/s11229-019-02114-y | ||||||
| Subjects: | Specific Sciences > Mathematics > Explanation Specific Sciences > Mathematics > Practice Specific Sciences > Mathematics > Proof |
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| Date: | 1 February 2019 | ||||||
| ISSN: | 1573-0964 | ||||||
| URI: | https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/15700 |
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Do mathematical explanations have instrumental value? (deposited 26 Jan 2019 17:07)
- Do mathematical explanations have instrumental value? (deposited 02 Feb 2019 05:17) [Currently Displayed]
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