Logical Truth and Historicity

There is a tension between the supposed timelessness of logical and mathematical truths and the historical evolution of formal disciplines. If such truths are purely objective and transparent to human reason, how do they change over time? The standard response invokes a linear, cumulative model of scientific progress, downplaying the role of historical transformations. In the case of formal logic, its modern success is often attributed to a gradual separation from everyday language, achieved through the adoption of precise symbolic methods borrowed from mathematics. This perspective assumes that the definitive foundations, once imperfectly grasped by the past tradition, have now been finally secured. This view, however, is incomplete and flawed in two key ways. First, it reconstructs the development of logic retrospectively, judging past theories by modern standards. While historically informative, this approach takes for granted the validity of the present scientific basic concepts and thus does not properly unfold their genesis. Second, it tends to treat symbolism as a neutral technical tool rather than a fundamental aspect of logical conception. This project challenges these assumptions by exploring the philosophical implications for logical objectivity when viewed as inseparable from the historical evolution of formal logic and of its symbolic means of expression. There is a continuum between ideal truths and the evolving symbolic practices still requiring further critical investigation. This approach raises new questions that can be differently addressed. On the one hand, my research will examine how responses to the transformation of formal logic in the early 20th century shaped major philosophical traditions that continue to influence current thought. On the other hand, I will explore how symbolic cognition determines the historical and constantly open character of rational practices. A philosophical critique of the symbolic medium is essential to uncover these dynamics and open new paths for scientific discovery.

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