O nekim aspektima broja i brojanja

Abstract

In this paper, we tried to shed light on the problem of number from different angles. We first analyzed the key definitions of number which determined our understanding of number in the science of mathematics and mathematics teaching. It primarily concerns the understanding of number in the philosophy and mathematics of Ancient Greece, the Pythagoreans and Plato. Then, we pointed to a completely different understanding of both mathematics and the notion of number in the contemporary philosophy of mathematics. The emphasis was placed on the logicist definition of number. What suggests itself as a kind of conclusion is the existence of a priori structure which allows for different attitudes towards number, even in animals, or in children from the earliest age. This segment of analysis was supported by numerous psychological research publications. We also pointed to the significance of the notion of number in a broader, spiritual context of our culture.