Arroyo, Raoni and Arenhart, Jonas R. B. (2026) Why metaphysics is not like mathematics. [Preprint]
![[img]](https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/style/images/fileicons/text.png) |
Text
Why metaphysics is not like mathematics (Preprint).pdf - Submitted Version Download (206kB) |
Abstract
In the recent literature, moderate naturalistic metaphysicians have been attempting to justify the existence of ‘free range’ analytic metaphysics by employing an analogy with pure mathematics: just as pure mathematics is justified by its potential applications to science, so too, they argue, is analytic metaphysics justified by its potential applications in philosophy of science. Employing standard textbook logical tools to evaluate analogies, we argue that the analogy doesn’t hold: there are relevant dissimilarities between the two disciplines. The grounds and domain of application of metaphysics and mathematics to science is ultimately different, and arguments intended to justify the epistemic value of metaphysics for science often presuppose its value rather than demonstrate it. This is why metaphysics is not like mathematics.
| Export/Citation: | EndNote | BibTeX | Dublin Core | ASCII/Text Citation (Chicago) | HTML Citation | OpenURL |
| Social Networking: |
| Item Type: | Preprint | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Creators: |
|
|||||||||
| Additional Information: | This article has been accepted for publication in Analysis Published by Oxford University Press. | |||||||||
| Keywords: | Analogy, Analytic metaphysics, Applied mathematics, Naturalized metaphysics, Pure mathematics | |||||||||
| Subjects: | General Issues > Scientific Metaphysics Specific Sciences > Mathematics |
|||||||||
| Depositing User: | Dr. Raoni Arroyo | |||||||||
| Date Deposited: | 03 Mar 2026 13:36 | |||||||||
| Last Modified: | 03 Mar 2026 13:36 | |||||||||
| Item ID: | 28415 | |||||||||
| Official URL: | http://doi.org/10.1093/analys/anag016 | |||||||||
| DOI or Unique Handle: | 10.1093/analys/anag016 | |||||||||
| Subjects: | General Issues > Scientific Metaphysics Specific Sciences > Mathematics |
|||||||||
| Date: | 27 February 2026 | |||||||||
| URI: | https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/28415 |
Monthly Views for the past 3 years
Monthly Downloads for the past 3 years
Plum Analytics
Altmetric.com
Actions (login required)
 |
View Item |
![[feed]](http://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/style/images/feed-icon-32x32.png){kind=icon}