Hermann Lotze's Philosophy of Language and Its Influence on Frege

Lotze and Frege develop their philosophy of language in connection with logic, which must therefore be included in the analyses. The classical views of Johann Gottfried Herder and Wilhelm von Humboldt, which assume a close correspondene between thought and language, are taken as a basis for comparison. According to Herder and Humboldt, language and thought are two sides of the same coin. Although Lotze analyzes thinking from the point of view of language, he also points out possible deceptions caused by language. Lotze sees such a danger in particular in the use of the definite article in the singular, which could lead to metaphysical hypostatization. Frege follows Lotze in his efforts to break the dominance of language over thought, but by recognizing the use of the definite article in the singular as a criterion for the designation of an object he commits a hypostasis that Lotze warned against. This warning not heeded had fatal consequences for Frege’s logicism program. Since we speak of “the number one”, “the number two”, etc., numbers are objects for Frege, namely logical objects that are defined as certain extensions of concepts. Because the transformation of concepts into their extensions is not restricted by Frege Russell’s antinomy is the result.