Conference in Paris in 1900) evolved from this debate (italics in the original):

::In his second problem, [Hilbert] had asked for a mathematical proof of the consistency of the axioms of the arithmetic of real numbers.
::To show the significance of this problem, he added the following observation:
::"If contradictory attributes be assigned to a concept, I say that mathematically the concept does not exist" (Reid p. 71)

Thus, Hilbert was saying: "If p and ~p are both shown to be true, then p does not exist", invoking

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