The description theory of meaning was proposed independently by Bertrand Russell and Gottlob Frege as a response to some of the fallacies of the reference theory. Description theorists propose that instead of being a simple ‘word - world relationship’, meaning is derived from descriptions associated with certain objects and stored in our mind (or senses in Frege’s case). Frege and Russell’s accounts of the theory differ subtly in how they view descriptions. Several objections have been made against
Reflections on the Analytic/Continental Divide My friends in the English department often ask me to explain the difference I so often talk about between analytic and continental philosophy. For some odd reason they want to relate our discipline with theirs in an effort, maybe, to understand both better. Thus, I welcome the opportunity offered by Schuylkill's general theme this year to give a very general and un-rigorous presentation on Philosophy, intended for the University Community at large
mathematics and ultimately led him to Gottlob Frege, who advised him to go to Cambridge and study with Bertand Russell, in 1911 (Biletzki & Matar, 2011). This was the inception of Wittgenstein’s early philosophy, which lasted from 1911 – 1921. He joined the Austrian army at the start of World War I and was eventually taken captive in 1917. During his time in captivity at a prison camp, he wrote his first important work, Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus. Frege, Russell, and Moore and their philosophies
Thoughts on a Possible Rational Reconstruction of the Method of "Rational Reconstruction" ABSTRACT: Rational reconstructions standardly operate so as to transform a given problematic philosophical scientific account-particularly of a terminological, methodological or theoretical entity-into a similar, but more precise, consistent interpretation. This method occupies a central position in the practice of analytic philosophy. Nevertheless, we encounter-even if only in a very few specific publications-a
How to make our ideas clear In the article, “How to make our ideas clear” by Charles S. Peirce. Charles explains more deeply about the methods of common logic methods which are Clearness, Obscure distinct and confused conceptions. Both clear and obscure conceptions are the opposite of each other, while distinctness and confusions conceptions are the opposite of each other as well. Charles believes that logicians are unclear of their explanations for Clearness. According to the article he states
The value of Philosophy is, in fact, to be sought largely in its uncertainty. The man who has no tincture of Philosophy goes through life imprisoned in the prejudices derived from common sense, from the habitual beliefs of his age or his nation, and from the convictions which have grown up in his mind without the co-operation of his deliberate reason. Bertrand Russell, The Problems of Philosophy. Philosophy is commonly thought of as an activity reserved for Oxbridge high- brows; or a sort
Introduction In this paper I will argue that Russell's analyses of sentences is successful and that the objection brought by Strawson can be refuted. Russell’s theory of definite descriptions contains a significant insight in that Russell’s view that what appears to be referential propositions are in fact quantificational is correct. Russell's theory of definite descriptions Russell propounds two theses, one about names and the other about definite descriptions. This paper deals with Russell's analysis
In his Tractatus Logico Philosophicus, Ludwig Wittgenstein makes the following claim “…only in the nexus of a proposition does a name have meaning” (TLP 3.3). This claim is a version of what has come to be known in the literature as the context principle and is taken to assert simply that a word has meaning only when it is within a sentence. An intuitive objection to this principle is that it conflicts with a trait of language called compositionality. Compositionality describes the ability we possess
In the two articles that I read “Lost in the Clouds” by Alexander George, and “The Value of Philosophy” by Bertrand Russell, I think I agree more with what Russell said. Both of the articles are about how Philosophy should be done. I think that the two authors have different point of views when it comes to their idea of philosophy. Alexander George says Philosophy can be done at a dinner table or just about anywhere, you can do it with your friends and family. He says that philosophy can be enjoyable
A Brief History and Critique of Analytic Philosophy Although brief, analytic philosophy has done to philosophy what Copernicus did for science. At a time when philosophy seemed stagnant, and when much of the world turned to science for life’s big questions, a revolution needed to occur within philosophy to keep the practice relevant. For philosophy, this revolution came at the turn of the 20th century when British Idealism governed philosophic studies. Known today as analytic philosophy, this practice
non-contradiction. Leibniz had a lifelong interest in and pursuit of the idea that the principles of reasoning could be reduced to a formal symbolic system based on the algebra or calculus of thought where controversy would be settled by calculations. Gottlieb Frege (1848-1925) Gottlieb invented modern quantificational logic, and created the first fully axiomatic system for logic, which was complete in its treatment of propositional and first-order logic, and also represented the first treatment of higher-order
problems. Gottlob Frege (1) asserts that, in addition to the denotation of a sign (2), there is also a meaning attached. (3) The denotation is the specific thing that a sign refers to. The meaning, however, is the actual intention behind using the sign. It follows from this distinction that signs may be identical, but have different functions in a proposition. When it comes to meanings, it is not necessarily the case that the respective denotations of the same sign are equivalent. In fact, Frege argues
Frege on Truth, Beauty and Goodness Scholars of Frege have spent a good deal of energy in discussing his views about truth, logic, and the relation between them. To one set of clues, however, scant attention has been paid. Repeatedly throughout his career, Frege attempted to illuminate the relation between logic and truth by comparing it to the relations between ethics and the good and aesthetics and the beautiful. Truth, beauty and goodness, of course, have had a long history in platonic philosophy
philosophies of mathematics. Logicism holds that Mathematics is logic. This means that logic is the foundation of mathematics and all mathematical statements are logical truths. Although the idea of logicism can be associated to Leibniz, it is Gottlob Frege who is considered the founder of Logicism since it was in his time when the principles of logic were revealed. He built a logistic program and devoted much of his time trying to show that mathematics can be reduced to logic. Un...
It helped to professionalize philosophy as AN academic study within the u. s. by business thinker like Sinclair Lewis Caucasian motion, John Dewey , Gottlob Frege, Hans-George Gadamer, Sidney Hook, C.I. Lewis, Ernst Mach, Charles Sanders Pierce, Willard Van Orman logician, Bertrand Henry author Russell Vlastos. The Monist publishes quarterly thematic problems on specific philosophical topics that area unit
should be replaced by the “facts”, “reality” or the “way things are.” Truth is often imagined as consisting in a speaker’s honesty with respect to what he believes. Occasionally truth is rehashed, as in the doctrines of the German philosopher Gottlob Frege. Mohandas Gandhi spoke of “The Absolute Truth, the Eternal Principle, that is God” and said, “ I worship God as Truth only.” Jesus said, “ I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” God is truth and the essence of it. All of his ways are truth
the topics philosophers have dealt with ever since the 4th century BCE. Language is no exception. Plato was perhaps the first person to tackle the philosophy of language in the Cratylus, a subject that, since the German philosopher and logician Gottlob Frege, analytic philosophers have been extremely interested in language. The dialogue doesn’t tackle all of the problems of language, but it directs its attention toward the questions: How to words get meaning? Do they exist a priori in nature or do
The Important Role of Mathematicians in Society Thesis Statement This report will focus on the professional field of mathematicians. It will highlight some of the history, responsibilities, opportunities, and requirements of this occupation. Outline I. Introduction A. A condensed history of mathematics B. Famous mathematicians and their accomplishments II. Body A. Opportunities for mathematicians B. Education and training C. Requirements D. Earnings III. Conclusion
language culminated in his second magnum opus, the Philosophical Investigations, which was published posthumously. Wittgenstein's early work was deeply influenced by Russell's work on logic, by his earlier brief study with the German logician Gottlob Frege, and by Arthur Schopenhauer. When the Tractatus was published, it was taken up as a major influence by the Vienna Circle positivists. However, Wittgenstein did not consider himself part of that school and alleged that logical positivism involved
to anticipate this dispute, consequently, pointed out that Kant’s objection is not valid as it fails to take into account the unique nature of God, who is not a contingent thing as he necessarily exists or possesses ‘aseity’ (Harrelson, 2008). Gottlob Frege continued Kant’s argument by distinguishing between ‘first-‘and ‘second-order’ predicates. He critics the argument by suggesting that both Anselm and Descartes treat existence as a first-order predicate (which tell us about the nature of something)