Single Idea 16022

[catalogued under 9. Objects / F. Identity among Objects / 1. Concept of Identity]

Full Idea

The notion of a criterion of identity was introduced into philosophical terminology in Frege's 'Grundlagen', and was strong emphasised in Wittgenstein's 'Philosophical Investigations'.

Gist of Idea

The idea of a criterion of identity was introduced by Frege

Source

report of Gottlob Frege (Grundlagen der Arithmetik (Foundations) [1884]) by Harold Noonan - Identity §4

Book Reference

'Stanford Online Encyclopaedia of Philosophy', ed/tr. Stanford University [plato.stanford.edu], p.8


A Reaction

For Frege a thing can only have an intrinsic identity if it can participate in an equality relation. For abstract objects (such as directions or numbers) the relation is an equivalence. The general idea is that identical objects must relate in some way.