Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
intuitionism
Introduction References & Edit History
Quick Facts
Key People:
Saul Kripke
Luitzen Egbertus Jan Brouwer
Related Topics:
mathematics
constructivism
Britannica AI Icon
Adding us as a Preferred Source tells Google you trust our content, so our articles show up more often in your Google Search, Discover feed, and AI Overviews.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites

intuitionism

philosophy of mathematics
Written and fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
Britannica Editors
History

intuitionism, school of mathematical thought introduced by the 20th-century Dutch mathematician L.E.J. Brouwer that contends the primary objects of mathematical discourse are mental constructions governed by self-evident laws. Intuitionists have challenged many of the oldest principles of mathematics as being nonconstructive and hence mathematically meaningless. Compare formalism; logicism.