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Full Idea
The contention of the 'no classes' theory is that all significant propositions concerning classes can be regarded as propositions about all or some of their members.
Gist of Idea
The 'no classes' theory says the propositions just refer to the members
Source
Bertrand Russell (On 'Insolubilia' and their solution [1906], p.200)
Book Ref
Russell,Bertrand: 'Essays in Analysis', ed/tr. Lackey,Douglas [George Braziller 1973], p.200
A Reaction
Apparently this theory has not found favour with later generations of theorists. I see it in terms of Russell trying to get ontology down to the minimum, in the spirit of Goodman and Quine.
| 9834 | A class is, for Frege, the extension of a concept [Frege, by Dummett] |
| 3328 | Frege proposed a realist concept of a set, as the extension of a predicate or concept or function [Frege, by Benardete,JA] |
| 21563 | The 'no classes' theory says the propositions just refer to the members [Russell] |
| 14461 | Propositions about classes can be reduced to propositions about their defining functions [Russell] |
| 11020 | Realisms like the full Comprehension Principle, that all good concepts determine sets [Read] |
| 15919 | The 'logical' notion of class has some kind of definition or rule to characterise the class [Lavine] |