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The Meaning and Significance of Dispute on Objectless Presentations NeuroQuantology | December 2018 | Volume 16 | Issue 12 | Page 87-91| doi: 10.14704/nq.2018.16.12.1344 Seliverstov S., The Meaning and Significance of Dispute on Objectless Presentations The Meaning and Significance of Dispute on Objectless Presentations Vladimir Seliverstov* ABSTRACT This paper considers the evolution of understanding and the status of objectless presentations in the works of the three main authors of this tradition: “The Theory of Science” by B. Bolzano, “On Content and Object of Presentations” by K. Twardowski and “Intentional Objects” by E. Husserl. A critical analysis of these positions on objectless presentations is interesting, because here in one point, in one discussion, we have several very important philosophical theories that have had an impact on the philosophical debates in the twentieth century, particularly on the discussion Alexius Meinong and Bertrand Russell at the beginning of XX century. We want to show, how this Meinong’s conception has contemporary philosophy. Here author aims to show how theory of objects as such came into being and how its main ideasmade weresignificant discussed contribution and criticized into the in problemsubsequent of nonexistent philosophical objects thought. that Thisstill remainsdispute pushesone of theus tomost think debated that we in deal here with fundamental ideological differences between these conceptions. Therefore, it allowed to consider another important philosophical and methodological problem - the problem of incommunicability between logical and psychological conceptions. Key Words: Bolzano, Twardowski, Theory of Objects, Phenomenology, Objectless Presentations, Intentionality 87 DOI Number: 10.14704/nq.2018.16.12.1344 NeuroQuantology 2018; 16(12):87-91 The Problem he is often called a precursor of analytic philosophy. The problem of so-called objectless presentations The understanding of objectless presentations is the was extensively discussed within Austrian philosophy center piece in the development of the philosophy of 19th century. My analysis is concentrated on the evolution of understanding and the status of Twardowski in his work “On the Content and Object objectless presentations in the works of the three of eachpresentations” of these importantlaid the foundationsfigures. For ofexample, a new main authors of this tradition: “The Theory of philosophical method involving logic, which later Science” by B. Bolzano, “On Content and Object of became a distinctive feature of Polish philosophers Presentations” by K. Twardowski and “Intentional Objects” by E. Husserl. this meant a transition from the psychology of and logicians of the Lvov-Warsaw School. For Husserl All the authors offered distinct theories of which became one of the main principles of his objectless presentations (within the framework phenomenology.Brentano to a strictly logical and scientific thinking, of their conceptions). Twardowski and Husserl Twardowski and Husserl were both students of trends: Phenomenology and the Lvov-Warsaw Brentano and had common philosophical roots, but became founders of two influential philosophical they entered into a serious and principled dispute the development of philosophical thought. Today over objectless presentations. Husserl greatly School. Bolzano also had a profound influence on Corresponding author: Vladimir Seliverstov Address: National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE), 20 Myasnitskaya str. Moscow 101000, Russia e-mail [email protected]; [email protected] Relevant conflicts of interest/financial disclosures: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or Received: 26 March 2018; Accepted: 03 August 2018 financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. eISSN 1303-5150 www.neuroquantology.com NeuroQuantology | December 2018 | Volume 16 | Issue 12 | Page 87-91| doi: 10.14704/nq.2018.16.12.1344 Seliverstov S., The Meaning and Significance of Dispute on Objectless Presentations changed his philosophical position, moving away objective presentations and the latter contain all of from psychology, Twardowski, developing the ideas the properties. of Brentano, also came to depart from traditional “On Content and Object of Presentations” psychology to create his own unique theory of objects. In this work (Twardowski, 1977) Twardowski resurrected some of the Bolzano’s ideas. The A critical analysis of these positions on logical and psychological study of the latter was objectless presentations is very interesting, because mainly based on his interpretation of Brentano’s here in one point, in one discussion, we have several views and particularly on his own understanding very important philosophical theories that have of intentionality. In his investigations, Twardowski had an impact on the philosophical debates in the wrote about the necessity for a special differentiation twentieth century. We will try to analyze the main between the content of presentation and an arguments of the authors to understand their point immanent object, where the latter was considered as of view, and also to determine whether in principle this dispute could have been be resolved. distinction between “Sinn” and “Bedeutung”). intentional and real. (This is quite similar to Frege’s Bolzano and his Wissenschaftslehre Leaving aside the problem of the notion “content of presentation” and is origin, it is clear that of objectless presentations. He gave precise it is similar to Bolzano’s “objective presentation”. characteristicsBernard Bolzano to offered, those perhaps,objects, thewhich first do theory not According to Twardowski Bolzano’s work was one of correspond to any type of presentation. between content and object. In his “Theory of Science” (Bolzano, 1837) the first treatises in which we can find the distinction Bolzano deals with two types of presentations (or Of course, Twardowski did not accept all ideas): subjective and objective ones. Subjective Bolzano’s ideas and, indeed, he rejected Bolzano’s presentations are mental phenomena – they require thesis about objectless presentations. He gives a corresponding subject. At the same time objective important arguments against such presentations. ideas are independent from any subject, thought. 88 There is also an object, related to both of them. necessary element of presentation. That is why the As a scientist, Bolzano is more interested objectFrom for him his is point everything of view, that the can object be presented itself is in objective presentations. He describes their or judged. There are different types of objects (real, structure types and properties in great detail. unreal, possible, impossible), and all these objects are (or can be) objects of our mental acts. So, he was presentation’s extension, Bolzano introduces the termIn the that section denotes devoted presentations to the thatdefinition have objectsof the of objects must be considered independently of the (Gegenstandsvorstellungen). Only such presentations problemprobably ofthe existence. first who suggested that the problem also have extension. In contrast, presentations that His analysis of the notion nothing is quite have no object (presentations that are gegenstandlos) interesting. This notion was originally brought also don’t have an extension. As an example he into the discussion by Bolzano, who used it as an takes the idea of ​​“nothing”. It should be noted, that example of objectless presentation. In answer to this, the analysis of this concept became a fundamental Twardowski presented the logical analysis of nothing point in the tradition of the logical interpretation and offered a proof that it (in terms of Mill’s logic) is not a name. In other words, it is not a categorematic Bolzano it is absurd to assume the existence an objectof the ofproblem the presentation of objectless presentations., because Foran nothing of particle “no” to a name to form a name (“non-ens”, object itself is something. According to him, such “non-Greek”,expression formed “non-smoker”, by infinitation, etc.. by an attachment absurd accounts confuse the actual presence of an objective presentation of (the concept) nothing with the existence of an object. The same could be said of an expression makes sense when (so to say) the about the other types of objectless presentations, According to Twardowski, the infinitation such as round quadrangle, green virtue or golden of a name. However, this only happens when the expression, formed by infinitation, retains the status about such things we deal with only subjective or has a more general kind. So the word “something” mountain. From his point of view, when we talk pair, consisting of a name and a result of infinitation eISSN 1303-5150 www.neuroquantology.com NeuroQuantology | December 2018 | Volume 16 | Issue 12 | Page 87-91| doi: 10.14704/nq.2018.16.12.1344 Seliverstov S., The Meaning and Significance of Dispute on Objectless Presentations has nothing higher, because if it were, it would “Presentation” in this case, can be understood still be something. That is why for Twardowski “nothing” is not a name, it is not categorematic, but Husserl used logical semantics to study the problem syncategorematic expression. So “nothing is eternal” ofas objectless“meaning”. presentations. It is used in justParticularly the way heFrege wanted and really means “there is not something which is eternal” to understand in what way we can use in science (Twardowski, 1977). (e.g. mathematics) the notions denoting possible or unreal
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