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Single Idea 10032

[from 'Grundlagen der Arithmetik (Foundations)' by Gottlob Frege, in 8. Modes of Existence / A. Relations / 4. Formal Relations / c. Ancestral relation ]

Full Idea

Any relation will yield a new relation, called the 'ancestral', which is the iterated relation which leads up to it, as when 'x is the parent of y' can lead us to the relation 'x is an ancestor of y'

Gist of Idea

'Ancestral' relations are derived by iterating back from a given relation

Source

report of Gottlob Frege (Grundlagen der Arithmetik (Foundations) [1884], §79) by A.George / D.J.Velleman - Philosophies of Mathematics Ch.2

Book Reference

George,A/Velleman D.J.: 'Philosophies of Mathematics' [Blackwell 2002], p.36


A Reaction

This idea is one of Frege's notable discoveries. The ancestral seems to be a generalisation of a given relation.

Related Idea

Idea 15562 Causation is a general relation derived from instances of causal dependence [Lewis]