Single Idea 19051

[catalogued under 7. Existence / C. Structure of Existence / 6. Fundamentals / d. Logical atoms]

Full Idea

In 1918 Russell does not admit facts as fundamental; atomic facts are atomic as facts go, but they are compound objects. The atoms of Russell's logical atomism are not atomic facts but sense data.

Gist of Idea

Russell's atomic facts are actually compounds, and his true logical atoms are sense data

Source

report of Bertrand Russell (The Philosophy of Logical Atomism [1918]) by Willard Quine - Russell's Ontological Development p.83

Book Reference

Quine,Willard: 'Theories and Things' [Harvard 1981], p.83


A Reaction

By about 1921 Russell had totally given up sense-data, because he had been reading behaviourist psychology.