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Single Idea 17264

[filed under theme 19. Language / D. Propositions / 2. Abstract Propositions / a. Propositions as sense ]

Full Idea

Bolzano conceived of propositions as abstract objects which are structured compounds of concepts and potential contents of judgements and assertions.

Gist of Idea

Propositions are abstract structures of concepts, ready for judgement or assertion

Source

report of Bernard Bolzano (Theory of Science (Wissenschaftslehre, 4 vols) [1837]) by Correia,F/Schnieder,B - Grounding: an opinionated introduction 2.3

Book Ref

'Metaphysical Grounding', ed/tr. Correia,F/Schnieder,B [CUP 2012], p.6


A Reaction

Personally I think of propositions as brain events, the constituents of thought about the world, but that needn't contradict the view of them as 'abstract'.


The 9 ideas from 'Theory of Science (Wissenschaftslehre, 4 vols)'

Bolzano wanted to reduce all of geometry to arithmetic [Bolzano, by Brown,JR]
Bolzano began the elimination of intuition, by proving something which seemed obvious [Bolzano, by Dummett]
Philosophical proofs in mathematics establish truths, and also show their grounds [Bolzano, by Correia/Schnieder]
Bolzano wanted to avoid Kantian intuitions, and prove everything that could be proved [Bolzano, by Dummett]
Bolzano saw propositions as objective entities, existing independently of us [Bolzano, by Potter]
Propositions are abstract structures of concepts, ready for judgement or assertion [Bolzano, by Correia/Schnieder]
The ground of a pure conceptual truth is only in other conceptual truths [Bolzano]
The laws of thought are true, but they are not the axioms of logic [Bolzano, by George/Van Evra]
A 'proposition' is the sense of a linguistic expression, and can be true or false [Bolzano]