Combining Texts

Ideas for 'Three Varieties of Knowledge', 'The Theory of Logical Types' and 'Externalist Theories of Empirical Knowledge'

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3 ideas

6. Mathematics / C. Sources of Mathematics / 6. Logicism / b. Type theory
Type theory cannot identify features across levels (because such predicates break the rules) [Morris,M on Russell]
     Full Idea: Russell's theory of types meant that features common to different levels of the hierarchy became uncapturable (since any attempt to capture them would involve a predicate which disobeyed the hierarchy restrictions).
     From: comment on Bertrand Russell (The Theory of Logical Types [1910]) by Michael Morris - Guidebook to Wittgenstein's Tractatus 2H
     A reaction: I'm not clear whether this is the main reason why type theory was abandoned. Ramsey was an important critic.
Classes are defined by propositional functions, and functions are typed, with an axiom of reducibility [Russell, by Lackey]
     Full Idea: In Russell's mature 1910 theory of types classes are defined in terms of propositional functions, and functions themselves are regimented by a ramified theory of types mitigated by the axiom of reducibility.
     From: report of Bertrand Russell (The Theory of Logical Types [1910]) by Douglas Lackey - Intros to Russell's 'Essays in Analysis' p.133
6. Mathematics / C. Sources of Mathematics / 10. Constructivism / d. Predicativism
A one-variable function is only 'predicative' if it is one order above its arguments [Russell]
     Full Idea: We will define a function of one variable as 'predicative' when it is of the next order above that of its arguments, i.e. of the lowest order compatible with its having an argument.
     From: Bertrand Russell (The Theory of Logical Types [1910], p.237)
     A reaction: 'Predicative' just means it produces a set. This is Russell's strict restriction on which functions are predicative.