Linguistics & Philosophy IUSS Center
IUSS Philosophy Seminars
eMath Project
 
“TWO TESTS TO RULE THEM ALL, TWO TESTS TO FIND THEM?”

September 27th 2022, 15.00 – 17.00 CEST
IUSS, Sala del Camino
Palazzo Broletto, Piazza della Vittoria n. 15 - Pavia
 
 
Speaker: Robert Schwartzkopff - University of Hamburg  
 
Abstract: 
Neo-Fregeans conceive of numbers as Fregean objects, in the sense that objects sharply contrast with categorically distinct higher-order entities, most notably Fregean concepts. Typically, the conception is justified by appeal to certain tests for whether expressions — most importantly, number words in arithmetical contexts —function as object-denoting expressions or singular terms. The aim of this talk is to re-eveluate the merits and limitations of these tests. The result will be two-fold. On the one hand, it will be shown that generally speaking the tests are by and large in good linguistic order. On the other hand, though, it will become apparent that the tests can nevertheless not be used to justify the Neo-Fregean conception of numbers as objects. 
 
The seminar will be also available via Zoom at: https://iusspavia.zoom.us/j/99529506550

Info: andrea.sereni@iusspavia.it 
 
Program