Abstract
In a ground-breaking essay Nagel contended that the controversy over impossible numbers influenced the development of modern logic. I maintain that Nagel was correct in outline only. He overlooked the fact that the controversy engendered a new account of reasoning, one in which the concept of a well-made language played a decisive role. Focusing on the new account of reasoning changes the story considerably and reveals important but unnoticed similarities between the development of algebraic logic and quantificational logic.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 37-62 |
| Number of pages | 26 |
| Journal | Studies in History and Philosophy of Science |
| Volume | 22 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1991 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- History
Cite this
The logic of impossible quantities. / Sherry, David M.
In: Studies in History and Philosophy of Science, Vol. 22, No. 1, 1991, p. 37-62.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - The logic of impossible quantities
AU - Sherry, David M
PY - 1991
Y1 - 1991
N2 - In a ground-breaking essay Nagel contended that the controversy over impossible numbers influenced the development of modern logic. I maintain that Nagel was correct in outline only. He overlooked the fact that the controversy engendered a new account of reasoning, one in which the concept of a well-made language played a decisive role. Focusing on the new account of reasoning changes the story considerably and reveals important but unnoticed similarities between the development of algebraic logic and quantificational logic.
AB - In a ground-breaking essay Nagel contended that the controversy over impossible numbers influenced the development of modern logic. I maintain that Nagel was correct in outline only. He overlooked the fact that the controversy engendered a new account of reasoning, one in which the concept of a well-made language played a decisive role. Focusing on the new account of reasoning changes the story considerably and reveals important but unnoticed similarities between the development of algebraic logic and quantificational logic.
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0142229256&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/0039-3681(91)90014-J
DO - 10.1016/0039-3681(91)90014-J
M3 - Article
VL - 22
SP - 37
EP - 62
JO - Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A
JF - Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A
SN - 0039-3681
IS - 1
ER -