Single Idea 18475

[catalogued under 7. Existence / C. Structure of Existence / 6. Fundamentals / d. Logical atoms]

Full Idea

The logical atomism of Russell admitted some logically complex facts but not others - in contrast to Wittgenstein's version which admitted only atomic facts.

Gist of Idea

Russell allows some complex facts, but Wittgenstein only allows atomic facts

Source

Fraser MacBride (Truthmakers [2013], 2.1.3)

Book Reference

'Stanford Online Encyclopaedia of Philosophy', ed/tr. Stanford University [plato.stanford.edu], p.12


A Reaction

For truthmakers, it looks as if the Wittgenstein version might do a better job (e.g. with negative truths). I quite like the Russell approach, where complex facts underwrite the logical connectives. Disjunctive, negative, conjunctive, hypothetical facts.

Related Idea

Idea 18481 Maximalism follows Russell, and optimalism (no negative or universal truthmakers) follows Wittgenstein [MacBride]