Single Idea 10550

[catalogued under 9. Objects / A. Existence of Objects / 2. Abstract Objects / c. Modern abstracta]

Full Idea

For Frege it is legitimate, in order to establish the existence of a certain number, to cite a concept under which only abstract objects fall, and in such a way guarantee the existence of the number quite independently of what concrete objects there are.

Gist of Idea

Frege establishes abstract objects independently from concrete ones, by falling under a concept

Source

report of Gottlob Frege (Grundlagen der Arithmetik (Foundations) [1884]) by Michael Dummett - Frege Philosophy of Language (2nd ed) Ch.14

Book Reference

Dummett,Michael: 'Frege Philosophy of Language' [Duckworth 1981], p.504


A Reaction

This approach of Frege's got into trouble with Russell's Paradox, which gave a concept under which nothing could fall. It strikes me as misguided even without that problem. I say abstracta are rooted in the concrete.