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Single Idea 8492

[filed under theme 5. Theory of Logic / E. Structures of Logic / 6. Relations in Logic ]

Full Idea

Functions of one argument are concepts; functions of two arguments are relations.

Gist of Idea

Relations are functions with two arguments

Source

Gottlob Frege (Function and Concept [1891], p.39)

Book Ref

Frege,Gottlob: 'Translations from the Writings of Gottlob Frege', ed/tr. Geach,P/Black,M [Blackwell 1980], p.39

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A Reaction

Nowadays we would say 'two or more'. Another interesting move in the aim of analytic philosophy to reduce the puzzling features of the world to mathematical logic. There is, of course, rather more to some relations than being two-argument functions.