more from Bertrand Russell

Single Idea 10418

[catalogued under 6. Mathematics / C. Sources of Mathematics / 6. Logicism / b. Type theory]

Full Idea

Russell's reaction to his paradox (by creating his theory of types) seems extreme, because many cases of self-exemplification are innocuous. The property of being a property is itself a property.

Gist of Idea

Type theory seems an extreme reaction, since self-exemplification is often innocuous

Source

comment on Bertrand Russell (Mathematical logic and theory of types [1908]) by Chris Swoyer - Properties 7.5

Book Reference

'Stanford Online Encyclopaedia of Philosophy', ed/tr. Stanford University [plato.stanford.edu], p.44


A Reaction

Perhaps it is not enough that 'many cases' are innocuous. We are starting from philosophy of mathematics, where precision is essentially. General views about properties come later.