According to these views, the role of philosophy of mathematics is to reflect on, and give an account of the nature of mathematics. The key issue concerns how ‘ giving
An account of’ mathematics is conceived. Absolutist philosophies of mathematics of mathematics such as logicism, formalism and intuitionism atterr.pt to provide prescriptive
Accounts of the nature of mathematics. Such accounts, as we have seen, are programrnatic,
Legislating how mathematics should be understood, rather than providing accurately descriptive accounts of the of nature of mathematics. Thus they are failing to account for mathematics as it, in the hope of fulfilling their vision of how it should be. But ‘to confuse description and programme --- to confuse ‘it’ with ‘ought to be’ or ‘should be’ --- is just as harmful in the philosophy of mathematics as clsewhere.’