Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book provides an introduction to the philosophy of mathematics and an internal criticism of the then current academic philosophy. The material presented is also an illustration of a new, more general method of approach called substantial factualism which the author asserts allows for the development of a more comprehensive philosophical position by not trivialising or distorting substantial facts of human knowledge. The central bias is what might vaguely be called 'substantial factualism' or perhaps 'anthropocentric magnifactualism'. Substantial factualism as an approach to philosophy presupposes a distinction between fundamental and technical knowledge, which reminds one of the traditional contrast between essential and accidental properties. Considerations are closely related to the interest in constructive methods and a surprisingly elegant characterization of the concept of a mechanical procedure or of being strictly formal. And this happens to supply an abstract theory of computers.