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Whether Philosophers Need Contemporary Mathematics?

Liberal Arts in Russia. 2013. Vol. 2. No. 6. Pp. 523-530.
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Erovenko V. A.
Belarusian State University
4 Independence Avenue, 220030, Minsk, Belarus
Email: erovenko@bsu.by

Abstract

The article discusses the various problems of mathematical education of philosophers. Even a negative school experience of practical development of mathematics gives an idea of mathematics as a special item that requires in-depth study to understand it as a whole. Knowledge of mathematics dispassionately verifies readiness to grasp an abstract philosophical reasoning. The true goal of mathematical education of philosophers is not just the acquisition of specific knowledge but first of all the development of thinking or intelligence aimed at cognition which is sometimes called philosophy. In this paper we are trying to answer the question: how and why mathematics is useful for university philosophical education? In particular, speaking about the course of modern mathematics for philosophers it is emphasized that professional philosophers are in a special position – they need modern mathematics as a component of the general methodology of cognition, so not separate details of mathematical techniques but basic mathematical principles are important for them. In the context of understanding mathematics, the mathematical course for philosophers should be based on methodological foundation, where the main role is devoted to the priority philosophical questions, developing mathematical ideas, taking into account the role of the emotional components of modern mathematical education.

Keywords

  • • mathematical knowledge
  • • the problem of understanding
  • • philosophical education

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