Single Idea 17632

[catalogued under 2. Reason / B. Laws of Thought / 3. Non-Contradiction]

Full Idea

The law of contradiction must have been originally discovered by generalising from instances, though, once discovered, it was found to be quite as indubitable as the instances.

Gist of Idea

Non-contradiction was learned from instances, and then found to be indubitable

Source

Bertrand Russell (Regressive Method for Premises in Mathematics [1907], p.274)

Book Reference

Russell,Bertrand: 'Essays in Analysis', ed/tr. Lackey,Douglas [George Braziller 1973], p.274