Abstract

The objective of this work is to show, according to Frege, in which the procedure consists of 'abstraction' he worded unsystematic in Chapter IV, in the context of § § 64-69 ss. Fundamentals of Arithmetic. This procedure, although controversial, is a key operator for defining the concept of number, the object of investigation of that chapter. At the beginning of § 62, asks the question: how can we therefore be given a number, if we can not have him no representation or intuition? In a concise manner, that responds only in the context of a proposition words mean something. Frege seeks to define the concept of number in a holistic way, based on relationships until you reach your final definition of the numbers in propositions that are objective and that follow. However, this proposal needs to be set and the procedure which uses is the "abstraction" which is exemplified by (i) parallel and (ii) equinumerosity. That is scoped to an equivalence relation: symmetry, reflexivity and transitivity, all the internal principles mentioned procedure. Further, it will show the relevance of the criticism waged the notion of abstract objects (numbers) prepared by E. J. Lowe in his book The Metaphysics of Abstract Objectsin section II about abstract entities.