more from 'Principia Mathematica' by B Russell/AN Whitehead

Single Idea 21707

[catalogued under 5. Theory of Logic / C. Ontology of Logic / 1. Ontology of Logic]

Full Idea

Russell did not view logic as an uninterpreted calculus awaiting interpretations [the modern view]. Rather, logic is a single 'interpreted' body of a priori truths, of propositions rather than sentence forms - but maximally general and topic neutral.

Gist of Idea

Russell unusually saw logic as 'interpreted' (though very general, and neutral)

Source

report of B Russell/AN Whitehead (Principia Mathematica [1913]) by Bernard Linsky - Russell's Metaphysical Logic 1

Book Reference

Linsky,Bernard: 'Russell's Metaphysical Logic' [CSLI 1999], p.5


A Reaction

This is the view which Wittgenstein challenged, saying logic is just conventional. Linsky claims that Russell's logicism is much more plausible, once you understand his view of logic.