more from B Hale / C Wright

Single Idea 12224

[catalogued under 6. Mathematics / C. Sources of Mathematics / 6. Logicism / d. Logicism critique]

Full Idea

It is claimed that neo-Fregeans are committed to 'maximalism' - that whatever can exist does.

Gist of Idea

Are neo-Fregeans 'maximalists' - that everything which can exist does exist?

Source

B Hale / C Wright (The Metaontology of Abstraction [2009], §4)

Book Reference

'Metametaphysics', ed/tr. Chalmers/Manley/Wasserman [OUP 2009], p.184


A Reaction

[The cite Eklund] They observe that maximalism denies contingent non-existence (of the £20 note I haven't got). There seems to be the related problem of 'hyperinflation', that if abstract objects are generated logically, the process is unstoppable.