Single Idea 18269

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

Full Idea

How are we to conceive of logical objects? My only answer is, we conceive of them as extensions of concepts or, more generally, as ranges of values of functions ...what other way is there?

Gist of Idea

Logical objects are extensions of concepts, or ranges of values of functions

Source

Gottlob Frege (Letters to Russell [1902], 1902.07.28), quoted by J. Alberto Coffa - The Semantic Tradition from Kant to Carnap 7 epigr

Book Reference

Coffa,J.Alberto: 'The Semantic Tradition from Kant to Carnap' [CUP 1993], p.113


A Reaction

This is the clearest statement I have found of what Frege means by an 'object'. But an extension is a collection of things, so an object is a group treated as a unity, which is generally how we understand a 'set'. Hence Quine's ontology.