Philosophy of XML datatypes (was: What is an integer? (was: Re: [xml-dev] XML Quiz))

<num>44</num>

The value of the <num> element -- 44 -- represents an integer.

How do we know that 44 represents an integer?

Because it matches the regex [+-]?[0-9]+ and someone decided that any string matching that regex represents an integer.

So 44 is an integer?

No, integers are abstract objects and 44 is a physical object.

So 44 is not an integer?

Precisely. It is a representation of an idealized object. It is a representation of an integer.
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The philosophers out there, would you elaborate on this please?

/Roger