64 Letter to Fernand Robert, September 29, 1911
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Ahti-Veikko Pietarinen
R L 378, Houghton Library. Peirce responded in French to Fernand Robert’s inquiry about his logical writings, despite failing health. He catalogues key publications (1867–1901), highlighting the critiques of Pearson and Fechner and his own work on sensation, colour, and relational algebra. Central is his current project of Logical Critique, divided into three branches: Elements (the study of signs as propositional vehicles), Critic (deductive reasoning, independent of psychology/metaphysics), and Methods of Science (scientific inquiry). Peirce champions his existential graphs as a tool for dissecting deduction, demonstrating its diagrammatic syntax via shaded diagrams that deny or assert identities (e.g., “Every man loves some woman” vs. “Some man loves some woman”). He stresses that mathematical reasoning is a peculiar kind of deduction and that his endoporeutic diagrammatic syntax can help analyse the nature of that peculiarity. The letter draft, never sent, underlines Peirce’s view of logic as a normative science, rooted in diagrammatic clarity and analytic creativity, antagonistic to psychologism; a nearly final plea amid his physical decline for scientific rigor to be exercised in philosophy.
R L 378, Houghton Library. Peirce responded in French to Fernand Robert’s inquiry about his logical writings, despite failing health. He catalogues key publications (1867–1901), highlighting the critiques of Pearson and Fechner and his own work on sensation, colour, and relational algebra. Central is his current project of Logical Critique, divided into three branches: Elements (the study of signs as propositional vehicles), Critic (deductive reasoning, independent of psychology/metaphysics), and Methods of Science (scientific inquiry). Peirce champions his existential graphs as a tool for dissecting deduction, demonstrating its diagrammatic syntax via shaded diagrams that deny or assert identities (e.g., “Every man loves some woman” vs. “Some man loves some woman”). He stresses that mathematical reasoning is a peculiar kind of deduction and that his endoporeutic diagrammatic syntax can help analyse the nature of that peculiarity. The letter draft, never sent, underlines Peirce’s view of logic as a normative science, rooted in diagrammatic clarity and analytic creativity, antagonistic to psychologism; a nearly final plea amid his physical decline for scientific rigor to be exercised in philosophy.
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
