Frege's Rationalist Epistemology
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FREGE’S RATIONALIST EPISTEMOLOGY by Dennis Dale Burke submitted to the Faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences of The American University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Philosophy Chain David F. T. Rodier, Ph.D. Rom Harr6, Ph. D. Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences The American University Washington, D.C. 20016 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number: 1395935 Copyright 1999 by Burke, Dennis Dale All rights reserved. UMI Microform 1395935 Copyright 1999, by UMI Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. UMI 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, MI 48103 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. © COPYRIGHT BY DENNIS DALE BURKE 1999 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TO ANN BURKE Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. FREGE’S RATIONALIST EPISTEMOLOGY BY Dennis D. Burke ABSTRACT This thesis examines the rationalist epistemology of the German logicist mathematician Gottlob Frege (1868-1925), whose principal contribution to mathematical logic was the invention of the logical quantifier and application of mathematical functions to propositional functions of logic. Frege is revered for his seminal investigations into semantics. His work is credited by some as having inaugurated the 'linguistic turn.’ It has been held that Frege's interests were primarily semantic and not epistemological. The extreme realistic views attributed to him make it seem that he was interested in ontology and an ally of Russell and Moore in the revolt against idealism. He rejected formalism, empiricism and psychologism in logic and mathematics. I argue controversially that Frege was indeed a psychologistic and rationalist philosopher with strong ties to Neo-Kantianism and was concerned with the epistemology of mathematical truth. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This thesis was written over a period of approximately two years affording me the opportunity of receiving valuable comments and criticism of my advisors David Rodier, Rom Harr6 and John Shosky. I am especially grateful to John Shosky for introducing me to the philosophy of language in his course during the spring term in 1991, and to the many other forays into analytical philosophy since then. This thesis would never have been completed without the encouragement and guidance John Shosky. To David Rodier I am most grateful for first introducing me to Gottlob Frege's writings in an independent reading course on twentieth century philosophy in the summer of 1991. I am privileged to have received invaluable criticism and advice from Rom Harr6 in preparation of this thesis, especially concerning the philosophy of Leibniz and its connection to Frege. I have also benefited immeasurably from visiting lecturers at The American University, particularly Antony Flew, Paul Benacerraf and Nicholas Griffin. Finally, I am indebted to ideas and insightful discussions with fellow students, especially Robert Bernard, Jeff Cothran, and Sylvia Rolloff. iii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT.....................................................................................................................ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS................................................................................. iii Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION.................................................................................... 1 2. DISTORTIONS OF THE STANDARD INTERPRETATION.......................13 Contemporary View of Frege’s Place in Philosophy Rational and Historical Reconstruction of Frege Frege, as Philosopher of Language Frege, as Philosophical Revolutionary Frege's Cartesian Perspective 3. HISTORIC PHILOSOPHICAL AND SCIENTIFIC SETTING...................... 51 Modem Philosophy and Scientific World View Post-Kantian Idealism Naturalism, Materialism, and Positivism Psychologism and Anti-Psychologism Neo-Kantianism Neo-Hegelianism Movement Toward Objectivity Mathematical setting 4. FREGE’S INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT.........................................101 Frege’s Enigmatic Background Philosophical and Mathematical Education Neo-Kantian Influences Lotzian Influences iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Logical and Mathematical Influences Leibnizian Influences 5. FREGE'S RATIONALIST EPISTEMOLOGY....................................... 124 Frege's Epistemological Motivations Self-Evidence in Frege’s Thought Epistemological Foundationalism Metaphysical and Epistemological Dualism Mathematical-Deductive Methodology Axiomatization of Knowledge Objectivity of Knowledge and Anti-Psychologism Frege's Theory of Judgment The Context Principle Subjectivism and Objectivism 6. REALISM OR IDEALISM......................................................................186 Introduction Realism Idealism 7. CONCLUSION.................................................................................... 203 BIBLIOGRAPHY.............................................................................................205 v Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION In this thesis I will challenge what has become in recent years the standard interpretation of Frege. I follow Hans Sluga in referring to Michael Dummett’s exegesis of Frege as the 'standard interpretation'.1 It is only fair however to point out that Dummett rejected this appellation. In fact, Dummett claims “[tjhere is no received interpretation [of Frege]."2 The standard interpretation of Frege stems as much from the intense interest during this century in the philosophy of language, as it does from Dummett’s exegesis of Frege. Dummett is the most visible, authoritative and prolific of the interpreters who have advanced the view of Frege as philosopher of language. He is by far the most widely read and influential commentator on Frege today, and the interpreter who has most vigorously advanced the standard interpretation. Michael Beaney has observed that Dummett has written more about Frege than Frege himself wrote during his lifetime.3 A complete list of Dummett’s works to which I will refer are included in the Bibliography of this paper. The greater part of Dummett’s views on Frege are set forth in three books: Frege: Philosophy of Language (1973,1981), The Interpretation of Frege's Philosophy (1981), and Frege's Philosophy of Mathematics (1991 ).4 Any alternative interpretation of Frege must necessarily confront Dummett’s 1 Hans Sluga, “Frege’s Alleged Realism” inInquiry, 20 (1977): 227. 2 Michael Dummett, The Interpretation of Frege's Philosophy (Cambridge: Harvard University Press), xiv. 3 Michael Beaney, ed.,The Frege Reader (Oxford: Blackwell, 1997), 386. 4 See Bibliography for other articles cited by Michael Dummett. 1 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 2 substantial and highly influential exegesis. However, it is not my purpose in this paper to indulge in analysis of the polemics between Dummett and Sluga, or to analyze his dispute with Hacker and Baker, or others. Rather, it is my purpose to advance an alternative interpretation that is at odds with the generally accepted view of Frege as a philosopher of language. In the following presentation,