Brentano's mathematical foundation of science

Carlo Ierna*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book / Report / Conference proceedingChapterAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

I examine Brentano's strategic positioning between German Idealism and British Empiricism, exemplified by Kant and Mill, focusing on the idea of mathematics as foundational science. For Brentano mathematics is both logically and chronologically prior to all other sciences. However, the 1874 Psychologie vom empirischen Standpunkte does not give a complete enough picture of Brentano's philosophy of mathematics, discussion of which must be based on textual evidence from his lecture notes and manuscripts, particularly Megethologie. Here Brentano clarifies that mathematics is not inductive, but a purely deductive and a priori science. Against Mill, Brentano argues that induction in the sciences is justified by the calculus of probability, which is founded on a priori mathematical deduction. Through the analysis of Brentano's mathematical foundations of science and comparative analysis of his critique of Kant and Mill, we can better understand Brentano's project of philosophy as science.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationBrentano and the Positive Philosophy of Comte and Mill
Subtitle of host publicationWith Translations of Original Writings on Philosophy as Science by Franz Brentano
EditorsIon Tănăsescu, Alexandru Bejinariu, Susan Krantz Gabriel, Constantin Stoenescu
Publisherde Gruyter
Pages309-330
Number of pages22
ISBN (Electronic)9783110734645
ISBN (Print)9783110738858
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2022

Publication series

NamePhenomenology & Mind
PublisherDe Gruyter
Volume20

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.

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