Single Idea 8657

[catalogued under 12. Knowledge Sources / A. A Priori Knowledge / 2. Self-Evidence]

Full Idea

The mathematician rests content if every transition to a fresh judgement is self-evidently correct, without enquiring into the nature of this self-evidence, whether it is logical or intuitive.

Gist of Idea

Mathematicians just accept self-evidence, whether it is logical or intuitive

Source

Gottlob Frege (Grundlagen der Arithmetik (Foundations) [1884], §90)

Book Reference

Frege,Gottlob: 'The Foundations of Arithmetic (Austin)', ed/tr. Austin,J.L. [Blackwell 1980], p.102


A Reaction

Note the suggestion that there are two different sorts of self-evidence. But see Idea 1410. Frege presumably drifted into philosophy because he wasn't happy with this blissful ignorance.

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