Single Idea 21720

[catalogued under 4. Formal Logic / F. Set Theory ST / 4. Axioms for Sets / p. Axiom of Reducibility]

Full Idea

The axiom of Reducibility ...is crucial in the reduction of classes to logic, ...and seems to be a quite legitimate logical notion for Russell.

Gist of Idea

Russell saw Reducibility as legitimate for reducing classes to logic

Source

comment on B Russell/AN Whitehead (Principia Mathematica [1913]) by Bernard Linsky - Russell's Metaphysical Logic 6.4

Book Reference

Linsky,Bernard: 'Russell's Metaphysical Logic' [CSLI 1999], p.101


A Reaction

This is an unusual defence of the axiom, which is usually presumed to have been kicked into the long grass by Quine. If one could reduce classes to logic, that would destroy the opposition to logicism in a single neat coup.