Mary Tiles facts for kids
Mary Tiles, born on March 6, 1946, is an American thinker who studies philosophy and the history of math and science. She used to lead the philosophy department at the University of Hawaii at Manoa from 2006 to 2009. She retired in 2009.
About Her Life
Mary Tiles went to Bristol University in England. There, she earned her first degree in philosophy and mathematics in 1967. She then got her Ph.D. (a high-level degree) in philosophy in 1973. She continued her studies at Oxford and Cambridge universities.
After teaching at different places, Dr. Tiles became a professor of philosophy. In 1989, she joined the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She became a full professor there in 1992. She retired from her teaching career in 2009.
What She Studied
Mary Tiles mainly focused on the ideas behind logic, mathematics, and science. She also studied their history. She was especially interested in what French thinkers contributed to these areas. Some of these thinkers include Gaston Bachelard, Georges Canguilhem, and Michel Foucault.
One of her important books is The Philosophy of Set Theory: An Historical Introduction to Cantor's Paradise, published in 1989. This book explores the ideas behind set theory, which is a part of mathematics dealing with collections of objects. It shows how the history of math is connected to its philosophy. Even with some academic discussions about its details, the book is often suggested for students learning about the philosophy of mathematics.
