Combining Philosophers

Ideas for Anaximenes, Richard Jeffrey and John Stuart Mill

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2 ideas

18. Thought / E. Abstraction / 1. Abstract Thought
General conceptions are a necessary preliminary to Induction [Mill]
     Full Idea: Forming general conceptions is a necessary preliminary to Induction.
     From: John Stuart Mill (System of Logic [1843], 4.2.1)
     A reaction: A key link in the framework of empirical philosophies, which gets us from experience to science. Induction is the very process of generalisation. We can't bring a concept like 'evolution' to preliminary observations, so it must be formulated inductively.
The study of the nature of Abstract Ideas does not belong to logic, but to a different science [Mill]
     Full Idea: The metaphysical inquiry into the nature and composition of what have been called Abstract Ideas, or in other words, of the notions which answer in the mind to classes and to general names, belongs not to Logic, but to a different science.
     From: John Stuart Mill (System of Logic [1843], 4.2.1)
     A reaction: He doesn't name the science, but the point here seems to be precisely what Frege so vigorously disagreed with. I would say that the state of being 'abstract' has logical aspects, and can be partly described by logic, but that Mill is basically right.