A Question for Philosophers?

Question

Why has Philosophy lost it's mathematical roots? The sign over Plato's academy read "none without the knowledge of Geometry may enter". It is my opinion that the lack of a mathematical requirement for Philosophy has given the field it's low respect in academia as shown with the disparity of grant funding to the sciences. Is there not as great a need today to investigate what is virtue as there was back then? Let's take our field back from those incapable of understanding geometry! Who's with me?

I do appologize, I didn't mean to suggest "geometry" the particular field of study within mathematics specifically, but more along the lines of a mathematical requirement for graduation like a Bachelor of Science degree.
I take it that Plato required the mathematics of the day to be the best foundation for someone to springboard into speculative thought, and as a good tool to reveal the natural rhythm and harmony with nature only describable with geometry and the modern equivalent the calculus.

Answer 1

That's a great point! I couldn't agree with you more. After Plato, with Aristotle and following, logic was sort of the replacement for Mathematical rigor, which still had with it the same rigor for certainty and such. But after the philosophy of Martin Heidegger and following with postmodernism and the critique of science, philosophy sort of degraded into aesthetics due to a critique of the actual search for rigor and certainty as somehow "missing the world of lived experience." But I agree, an academic disipline that renounces objectivity, certainty, and the like, turns into a mere subjective art which has little respect in the Academic community.
There is a new philosopher on the scene now in the last 20 years, Alain Badiou, who wishes to restore philosophy to the matheme, and its mathematical routes, except not wiht tradition euclidian geo, but set theory . He calls it an ontology of the multiple, or the multiplicity of Being, not reducing, as traditional metaphyiscs did, BEing back to "the one." Rather, back to the "Many."

Answer 2

Human beings are fascinated by breaking everything down into it's constituencies. Everything must be compartmentalized and in its place. I agree, Mathematics and Philosophy are both part of a whole. Geometry applies deductive reasoning as does Logic in Philosophy, as well as Algebra. Plato had the right idea, it's just nobody followed suit. Will the educators ever take off the blinders and see the unnatural segregation? Who knows. As a teacher who has taught Math and Philosophy I espouse the reintegration of these sciences. I am with you.

Answer 3

Philosophy has come a long ways since Plato. While I see nothing wrong with mathematics and geometry, what does that have to do with existentialism or post-modern enlightenment?

Philosophy is about asking the most fundamental questions about reality, even more fundamental than science as philosophy questions the very assumptions of science.

Answer 4

Not true. Nowadays Philosophy is tied in to Math more then it EVER was. Great discoveries in Logic have tied together Math, Philosophy and Computer science[1].
The greatest of philosophers of 20 the centuries were all mathematicians:
See:
Kurt Goedel[2]
W. Quine[3]
Bertrand Russel [4]

Overall currently analytic philosophy[5] is most researched and respected branch of philosophy. The philosophy is FAR from loosing its mathematical roots! No need to worry.

And this is not even mentioning the greatest breakthrough on philosophy EVER![6]

Answer 5

I never thought philosophy had a low level of respect in academia, at least no lower than the other Arts (communications? come on).

Sciences get funding because particle accelerators cost money. Books and paper do not.

I personally love math. But I don't think it brings anything to the philosophical table, except maybe to excercise our logic skills and permit us to philosophise about mathematics itself. Maths are games. You follow rules and combine symbols, but by itself math tells us nothing about the world. If dropping maths means dropping speculative metaphysics (ala Plato) then good riddance. What areas of philosophy would be so benefited by geometry (not simply logic)?

Answer 6

20 years ago I too had the same opinion about inventing "mathematics" for the right philosophies.

After 20 years when I know right philosophies, I know basic mathematics built into them.

I am not sure whether we need complex mathematics for the right philosophies.

Remember E=m c square produced atom bombs that were thrown on Japan !

What will mathematics on philosophies do if they fall into irresponsible hands ? What powerful bombs will the mankind derive from such mathematics and use on fellow human beings ?

Just a thought that occurred to me.
There may not be any real weight in my thought and the above argument, however.

Answer 7

Philosophy is in constant use, whether you can see it or not. Any person who holds an ideal, state of mind, or a thought pattern is bound to a philosophy. Philosophy is found in every aspect of human thought, mathematics is only one of them. Philosophy is the science of thinking, everything that can be taught has to be thought. The combination with geometry and philosophy was creating a thought process needed at the time, what is needed with philosophy now, is it really geometry or something more relevant to our times?

Answer 8

Philosophy hasn't lost it's "mathematical roots". The debate over big bang theory and its implications on intelligent design is a philosophically fueled exercise that is rooted completely in mathematics. Mathematicians ponder God because of the patterns they see in the universe. I think its absurd to say that mathematicians should "reclaim" that which was never "theirs" exclusively. Philosophy predates mathematics. We pondered our own existence before we knew 2+2=4.

Answer 9

Perhaps there is something wrong with academia, and not with philosophy.

Pre-Socratic philosophers were not that mathematically minded.

Even if philosophers stood on their heads, they wouldn't get more funding than scientists, who can in the end produce applications for their research, such as the atomic bomb and cosmic space travel.

Geometry is a good foundation for logical thinking, but it should not rule our minds.

I don't know who's with you, I'm with Martin Heidegger.

Answer 10

I'm not sure that it has. The really great ones...Rene Descartes, Immanuel Kant, John Rawls, JP Sartre.. & others.. were brilliant mathematicians. I think the rift occurrs where metaphysical analysis comes into play........ I agree that mathematical roots are important to give any real credence to the philisophical analysis or logical thougth. Perhaps you have some examples to further your case......