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Carnap's Metrical Conventionalism versus Differential Topology

Mormann, Thomas (2004) Carnap's Metrical Conventionalism versus Differential Topology. In: UNSPECIFIED. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

Carnap’s Metrical Conventionalism versus Differential Topology Abstract . Geometry was a main source of inspiration for Carnap’s conventionalism. Taking Poincaré as his witness Carnap asserted in his dissertation Der Raum (Carnap 1922) that the metrical structure of space is conventional while the underlying topological structure describes "objective" facts. With only minor modifications he stuck to this account throughout his life. The aim of this paper is to disprove Carnap's contention by invoking some clas--sical theorems of differential topology. By this means his metrical conventionalism turns out to be indefensible for mathematical reasons. This implies that the relation between to-pology and geometry cannot be conceptualized as analogous to the relation between the meaning of a proposition and its expression in some language as logical empiricists used to say.


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Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item (UNSPECIFIED)
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
Mormann, Thomas
Subjects: General Issues > Logical Positivism/Logical Empiricism
Depositing User: Thomas Mormann
Date Deposited: 19 Aug 2004
Last Modified: 07 Oct 2010 15:12
Item ID: 1889
Public Domain: Yes
Conference Date: November 2004
Conference Location: Austin
Subjects: General Issues > Logical Positivism/Logical Empiricism
Date: 2004
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/1889

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