Single Idea 9825

[catalogued under 9. Objects / A. Existence of Objects / 3. Objects in Thought]

Full Idea

A thing (an object of our thought) is completely determined by all that can be affirmed or thought concerning it.

Gist of Idea

A thing is completely determined by all that can be thought concerning it

Source

Richard Dedekind (Nature and Meaning of Numbers [1888], I.1)

Book Reference

Dedekind,Richard: 'Essays on the Theory of Numbers' [Dover 1963], p.44


A Reaction

How could you justify this as an observation? Why can't there be unthinkable things (even by God)? Presumably Dedekind is offering a stipulative definition, but we may then be confusing epistemology with ontology.