more from Alfred Tarski

Single Idea 18759

[catalogued under 5. Theory of Logic / D. Assumptions for Logic / 4. Identity in Logic]

Full Idea

Tarski showed that the only binary relations invariant under arbitrary permutations are the universal relation, the empty relation, identity and non-identity, thus giving us a reason to include '=' among the logical terms.

Gist of Idea

Identity is invariant under arbitrary permutations, so it seems to be a logical term

Source

report of Alfred Tarski (The Concept of Truth for Formalized Languages [1933]) by Vann McGee - Logical Consequence 6

Book Reference

'Bloomsbury Companion to Philosophical Logic', ed/tr. Horsten,L/Pettigrew,R [Bloomsbury 2014], p.42


A Reaction

Tarski was looking for a criterion to distinguish logical from non-logical terms, since his account of logical validity depended on it. This idea lies behind whether a logic is or is not specified to be 'with identity' (i.e. using '=').

Related Idea

Idea 18755 Validity is explained as truth in all models, because that relies on the logical terms [McGee]