Mary Leng is a contemporary philosopher of mathematics at the University of York, known for her defense of mathematical fictionalism. She argues that mathematical statements, while useful and even indispensable to science, need not be taken as literally true descriptions of abstract objects.
Developed a sophisticated fictionalist account of mathematics in 'Mathematics and Reality' (2010)
Argued against the Quine-Putnam indispensability argument for mathematical Platonism
Defended the view that mathematical posits are useful fictions rather than genuine ontological commitments
Contributed to debates on the relationship between mathematics, science, and ontology
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