Item 134 - Letter from Augustus De Morgan

Identity area

Reference code

Add. MS a/202/134

Title

Letter from Augustus De Morgan

Date(s)

  • 3 Aug. 1857 (Creation)

Level of description

Item

Extent and medium

16 pp

Context area

Archival history

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Content and structure area

Scope and content

7 Camden Street, N.W. - ADM is now at issue with his logical opponents. These particular logicians are not mathematicians and consequently may not 'be competent to see' what he does. 'The logicians say that a concept is the sum of its constituting attributes. Now I say that it is a compound, and its nature is not to be collected from its attributes, any more than the nature of water is to be collected from oxygen + hydrogen'. And 'classes aggregate into classes: attributes compound into attributes'. ADM makes the distinction between 'extension' and 'intension' which are in both (a). Propositions of first intention - Arithmetical, and in (b). The logic of second intentions - 1. Mathematical, 2. Physical, 3. Metaphysical and 4. Contraphysical. In usage extension predominates the mathematical and intension the metaphysical. ADM found it easier to invent names for metaphysical relations than mathematical terms: 'This is a nice commentary on the assertion of the logician that common thinking is class thinking'.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Conditions governing reproduction

Language of material

    Script of material

      Language and script notes

      Physical characteristics and technical requirements

      Finding aids

      Allied materials area

      Existence and location of originals

      Existence and location of copies

      Related units of description

      Related descriptions

      Notes area

      Alternative identifier(s)

      Access points

      Subject access points

      Place access points

      Genre access points

      Description identifier

      Institution identifier

      Rules and/or conventions used

      Status

      Level of detail

      Dates of creation revision deletion

      Language(s)

        Script(s)

          Sources

          Accession area