Single Idea 17438

[catalogued under 6. Mathematics / A. Nature of Mathematics / 4. Using Numbers / d. Counting via concepts]

Full Idea

For Frege, the distinction between what we count and what we do not count is drawn by our concepts. ...We can describe the very same external phenomena either as the leaves of a tree or its foliage.

Gist of Idea

Our concepts decide what is countable, as in seeing the leaves of the tree, or the foliage

Source

report of Gottlob Frege (Grundlagen der Arithmetik (Foundations) [1884]) by Kathrin Koslicki - Isolation and Non-arbitrary Division 3

Book Reference

-: 'Synthese' [-], p.424


A Reaction

Hm. We can't obey 'count the foliage', but we all know that foliage is countable stuff, where water isn't. Nature has a say here - it isn't just a matter of our concepts.

Related Idea

Idea 17439 There is no deep reason why we count carrots but not asparagus [Koslicki]