Single Idea 9821

[catalogued under 2. Reason / D. Definition / 2. Aims of Definition]

Full Idea

Frege expressly denies that a correct definition need capture the sense of the expression it defines: it need only get the reference right.

Gist of Idea

A definition need not capture the sense of an expression - just get the reference right

Source

report of Gottlob Frege (Review of Husserl's 'Phil of Arithmetic' [1894]) by Michael Dummett - Frege philosophy of mathematics Ch.3

Book Reference

Dummett,Michael: 'Frege: philosophy of mathematics' [Duckworth 1991], p.32


A Reaction

This might hit up against the renate/cordate problem, of two co-extensive concepts, where the definition gets the extension right, but the intension wrong.