Neo-Fregean Metaontology based on Fregean Metaontology

Document Type : Original Research

Authors
M.H. Soleimani
D. Hosseini
Department of Philosophy and Logic, Faculty of Humanities, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
10.58209/jpt.3.2.161
Abstract
Neo-Fregean metaontology is one of the most controversial metaontologies in recent decades. Regarding this metaontology as a deflationary metaontology such as quantifier-variance or maximalism prevails nowadays. But, if we consider Frege's views and the consequent metaontology, it will be obvious that there isn’t any relation between Fregean metaontology and deflationary metaontologies. Hence, interpreting neo-Fregean metaontology in the light of Fregean metaontology categorizes it in the class of serious metaontologies. In this reading, the crucial point is that the metaontological language is the logical core of natural language rather than mere natural language. Notwithstanding that this reading is consistent, it has implications for neo-Fregean methodology, namely, that neo-Fregean metaontology's function is metaphysical - in the determination of the category of abstract objects - and epistemological - in justification of our knowledge about these objects – but not ontological.

Keywords

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Philosophical Thought
Volume 3, Issue 2 - Serial Number 10
Spring 2023
Pages 161-185