Mathematical Applicability

What kind of mathematical applicability is surprising? Why?

Your answer may include discussion of the following questions:

• Which phenomena we judge surprising?
• What are the different senses of mathematical applicability?
• Why does Steiner say that his thesis is an empirical hypothesis?
• What is peculiar in the rôle Hilbert spaces play in quantum mechanics?

Readings

(Steiner, 1998, chs. 1-3);

Dummett (1991b);

(Horwich, 1982, ch. 5)

Further readings

(Steiner, 1998, 85-90, 105-14);

Steiner (1992)