“Logistike” and Epistemic Progress
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Abstract
Plato, in his writings, and in his interaction with the associates of the Academy he founded, never teaches. His goal is not to propose definitive solutions. Rather, his methodological insights are used to recognize a problem where others see just a fact that needs no further discussion. The introduction of the concept logistic gives us the chance to reflect on the problem of what calculations are: thanks to logistic, relations among numbers are taken into consideration. These relations are what render it possible to calculate. According to Plato, there are two different kinds - theoretical and practical - of logistic and arithmetic. Logistic and arithmetic, when considered theoretically, focus on the non-sensible. Today, however, the primary goal of mathematical research is no longer centred on the analysis of the intangible. Nevertheless, the Platonic method - his encouragement to view issues from a different, broader perspective - remains a source of innovation even in the contemporary age.
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