Central and East European
Society for Phenomenology

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235408

Optimisation and mathematical explanation

doing the Lévy walk

Sam Baron

pp. 459-479

Abstract

The indispensability argument seeks to establish the existence of mathematical objects. The success of the indispensability argument turns on finding cases of genuine extra-mathematical explanation (the explanation of physical facts by mathematical facts). In this paper, I identify a new case of extra-mathematical explanation, involving the search patterns of fully-aquatic marine predators. I go on to use this case to predict the prevalence of extra-mathematical explanation in science.

Publication details

Published in:

(2014) Synthese 191 (3).

Pages: 459-479

DOI: 10.1007/s11229-013-0284-2

Full citation:

Baron Sam (2014) „Optimisation and mathematical explanation: doing the Lévy walk“. Synthese 191 (3), 459–479.