Can science be successfully reconstructed without the use of mathematical entities? Hartry Field, a prominent philosopher of logic and mathematics, argues for a nominalist account of physical science. He posits that mathematical objects are not required for the truth of scientific theories, proposing that physical space-time can be described through nominalistic relations rather than numerical functions.

This work is widely regarded as a foundational text in the philosophy of mathematics, specifically for those examining nominalist positions. Scholars frequently note the technical rigor of the prose, which requires a strong background in formal logic to fully appreciate the author's arguments.