Single Idea 8880

[catalogued under 12. Knowledge Sources / C. Rationalism / 1. Rationalism]

Full Idea

In trying to reduce arithmetic to self-evident logical axioms, logicism is in sympathy with rationalism.

Gist of Idea

In reducing arithmetic to self-evident logic, logicism is in sympathy with rationalism

Source

Ernest Sosa (Beyond internal Foundations to external Virtues [2003], 6.7)

Book Reference

Bonjour,L/Sosa,E: 'Epistemic Justification' [Blackwells 2003], p.117


A Reaction

I have heard Frege called "the greatest of all rationalist philosophers". However, the apparent reduction of arithmetic to analytic truths played into the hands of logical positivists, who could then marginalise arithmetic.