62 Letters to Samuel Barnett, 1909–1910
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Ahti-Veikko Pietarinen
R L 36, Houghton Library; Manuscript Collection No. 505. Emory University’s Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library. This chapter compiles Peirce’s letters to Samuel Barnett, an Atlanta-based scholar, centered on the logical foundations of probability and Peirce’s Doctrine of Chances. Peirce critiques Barnett’s approach to reducing chance to elementary simple principles, arguing that such reduction requires prior grounding in the theory of reasoning, exemplified by his system of existential graphs. He emphasises the need for a rigorous, non-circular definition of probability, one that is demonstrably applicable to real-world contexts such as insurance, and rejects psychological or subjective interpretations. Peirce surveys his own probabilistic works (e.g., critiques of Venn and his Studies in Logic essay) while defending his evolutionary view of natural laws as habits shaped by absolute chance. Barnett emerges as a sounding board for Peirce’s insistence on logic’s analytic use, here to use his existential graphs in particular, in defining the concept of probability in an exact fashion.
R L 36, Houghton Library; Manuscript Collection No. 505. Emory University’s Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library. This chapter compiles Peirce’s letters to Samuel Barnett, an Atlanta-based scholar, centered on the logical foundations of probability and Peirce’s Doctrine of Chances. Peirce critiques Barnett’s approach to reducing chance to elementary simple principles, arguing that such reduction requires prior grounding in the theory of reasoning, exemplified by his system of existential graphs. He emphasises the need for a rigorous, non-circular definition of probability, one that is demonstrably applicable to real-world contexts such as insurance, and rejects psychological or subjective interpretations. Peirce surveys his own probabilistic works (e.g., critiques of Venn and his Studies in Logic essay) while defending his evolutionary view of natural laws as habits shaped by absolute chance. Barnett emerges as a sounding board for Peirce’s insistence on logic’s analytic use, here to use his existential graphs in particular, in defining the concept of probability in an exact fashion.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Acknowledgments
- Abbreviations of Peirce’s Works, Archives, and Names
- Introductory Note XV
- Foreword XVII
- Contents XXI
- General Introduction to Logic of the Future 1
- Introduction to the Theory of Existential Graphs, Volumes 3/1 and 3/2 15
- Introduction to Peirce’s Correspondence on Existential Graphs 29
- Afterword 200
- References 205
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Charles S. Peirce’s Correspondence on Existential Graphs
- 55 Letters on Dictionary of Philosophy and Psychology, 1900–1902 239
- 56 Entries for Dictionary of Philosophy and Psychology, 1900–1902 257
- 57 Letters to Josiah Royce, 1903–1913 296
- 58 Peirce–Paul Carus–Francis C. Russell Correspondence, 1896–1919 303
- 59 Letters to William James, 1897–1910 376
- 60 Letter to E. V. Huntington, February 14, 1904 426
- 61 Letters to Victoria Welby, 1905–1909 430
- 62 Letters to Samuel Barnett, 1909–1910 473
- 63 Letter to James Howard Kehler, June 22, 1911 487
- 64 Letter to Fernand Robert, September 29, 1911 548
- 65 Letter to Allan Douglas Risteen, December 6–9, 1911 556
- 66 Correspondence with Frederick Adams Woods, 1911–1913 564
- 67 Letter to Fellow, 1909, and to Henry James Jr., 1911 590
- 68 Epilogue: Correspondence with Mary Elizabeth Huntington, 1907–1914 606
- Chronology of the Correspondence 637
- Bibliography of Peirce’s References
- Contents of previous volumes 653
- Name Index
- Keyword Index
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Acknowledgments
- Abbreviations of Peirce’s Works, Archives, and Names
- Introductory Note XV
- Foreword XVII
- Contents XXI
- General Introduction to Logic of the Future 1
- Introduction to the Theory of Existential Graphs, Volumes 3/1 and 3/2 15
- Introduction to Peirce’s Correspondence on Existential Graphs 29
- Afterword 200
- References 205
-
Charles S. Peirce’s Correspondence on Existential Graphs
- 55 Letters on Dictionary of Philosophy and Psychology, 1900–1902 239
- 56 Entries for Dictionary of Philosophy and Psychology, 1900–1902 257
- 57 Letters to Josiah Royce, 1903–1913 296
- 58 Peirce–Paul Carus–Francis C. Russell Correspondence, 1896–1919 303
- 59 Letters to William James, 1897–1910 376
- 60 Letter to E. V. Huntington, February 14, 1904 426
- 61 Letters to Victoria Welby, 1905–1909 430
- 62 Letters to Samuel Barnett, 1909–1910 473
- 63 Letter to James Howard Kehler, June 22, 1911 487
- 64 Letter to Fernand Robert, September 29, 1911 548
- 65 Letter to Allan Douglas Risteen, December 6–9, 1911 556
- 66 Correspondence with Frederick Adams Woods, 1911–1913 564
- 67 Letter to Fellow, 1909, and to Henry James Jr., 1911 590
- 68 Epilogue: Correspondence with Mary Elizabeth Huntington, 1907–1914 606
- Chronology of the Correspondence 637
- Bibliography of Peirce’s References
- Contents of previous volumes 653
- Name Index
- Keyword Index
