Single Idea 9587

[catalogued under 18. Thought / E. Abstraction / 3. Abstracta by Ignoring]

Full Idea

Inattention is a very strong lye which must not be too concentrated, or it dissolves everything (such as the connection between the objects), but must not be too weak, to produce sufficient change. Personally I cannot find the proper dilution.

Clarification

A 'lye' is a strong alkaline chemical cleanser

Gist of Idea

How do you find the right level of inattention; you eliminate too many or too few characteristics

Source

Gottlob Frege (Review of Husserl's 'Phil of Arithmetic' [1894], p.330)

Book Reference

-: 'Mind July 1972' [-], p.330


A Reaction

We may sympathise with the lack of precision here (frustrating for a logician), but it is not difficult to say of a baseball defence 'just concentrate on the relations, and ignore the individuals who implement it'. You retain basic baseball skills.