Modo simbolico, mondi possibili e matematica

Gouthier, Daniele ; Salvador, Marta

Bollettino della Unione matematica italiana, Série 8, 9A (2006) no. 1, pp. 65-88

Résumé

In the public communication of mathematics, some issues concern the language used and specifically the symbolic formalism, in a central position with respect to other sciences. The problem addresses different, interwoven linguistic and communicative dimensions. The paper presents a number of theoretical tools coming from different research domains that can be used for a better understanding of the role played by symbols and formulae in the social communication of mathematics. Adopting the point of view of narrative and discoursive constructions the concept of "possible worlds" comes about. The latter is presented as interpretative model both for the conceptual stage of theory formulation as well as for the symbolic dimension of sign use. A brief historical analysis of mathematical symbolic language is then presented, together with some classification of signs derived from traditional semiotic approaches. They highlight the difficulty of assigning to symbols a specific status, indipendent from the context of use of each sign. Expecially when social communication is concerned, in fact, it is often necessary to refer to ideas already present in the reader's mind, giving to the analogic and iconic dimension of signs the main role of communicating new concepts.