Re: Philosophy of XML datatypes (was: What is an integer? (was: Re: [xml-dev] XML Quiz))

Time to break out Benacerraf and debate what numbers are :)

On Sun, Mar 26, 2023, at 3:28 PM, Roger L Costello wrote:
> <num>44</num>
> 
> The value of the <num> element -- 44 -- represents an integer.
> 
> How do we know that 44 represents an integer?
> 
> Because it matches the regex [+-]?[0-9]+ and someone decided that any string matching that regex represents an integer.
> 
> So 44 is an integer?
> 
> No, integers are abstract objects and 44 is a physical object.
> 
> So 44 is not an integer?
> 
> Precisely. It is a representation of an idealized object. It is a representation of an integer.
> ............................
> The philosophers out there, would you elaborate on this please?
> 
> /Roger
> 
> 
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