Hume’s Fork and Mixed Mathematics

What is it about?

What is the relation between mathematical and empirical propositions? On Hume's account, they are categorically different. This leads to a salient problem about the applicability of mathematics in science. As mathematical and empirical propositions are distinct, what about the propositions of applied mathematics, like the propositions concerning laws of nature? I argue that they are empirical because they assume the uniformity principle, namely that the course of nature is invariant.

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Why is it important?

The result solves a problem in Hume studies which has not received considerable attention before. It shows that proposition of mixed mathematics are matters of fact because they assume the uniformity principle as a non-grounded ground.