Essay
Logicism and Its Value 
Abstract
The foundational period in the complex philosophy of mathematics is characterized by the gradual emergence and successful development of three distinguished and reputable schools, each of which was primarily purposed to provide a satisfactory and meaningful foundation for mathematics. Generally speaking, logicism, contrary to other philosophies, is recognized as one of the most significant and relevant schools that emphasizes that mathematics is reducible to logic. Logicism established and promoted by Frege suggests that not the whole mathematics but only arithmetic should be reducible to logic. Moreover, with the key purpose to accomplish his goals and missions, Frege defined mathematical numbers as purely logical concepts. Regardless of the fact that logicism is extensively criticized by the research community, logicism is a widely accepted thesis because it confirms that mathematics is a consistent and meaningful discipline. The current paper aims to provide clear, balanced, and extensive information about the origins of logicism as well as its essence, history, and implications.
Introduction
From the beginning of its complex and multifaceted history, philosophy has been tightly intertwined with the field of mathematics. Extensive mathematical knowledge and the unique ability to use it is a comprehensive and effective tool used for tackling threatening quantifiable problems. Philosophical training equips humans with sufficient skills and knowledge to analyze these critical issues and articulate understanding. There are three consistent and powerful schools, including logicism, intuitionism and, finally, formalism, that provide a firm and strong foundation to mathematics and explain the logic of the philosophy of mathematics. Regardless of the fact that logicism, intuitionism, and formalism are famous and comprehensive schools, the current paper will shed light on the concept and essence of logicism as the most distinguished and influential school in the philosophy of mathematics. Moreover, much attention will be paid to the history of logicism, the status and value of logicism in the contemporary world, and several clear and meaningful examples that clarify the impact of this school of thought on the philosophy of mathematics. Finally, the present paper will describe logicism as a strong school that forms the bulk of modern mathematics and accurately and clearly interprets mathematical knowledge, while reducing its complexity and ambiguity.
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The Concept of Logicism and Its History
Logicism is one of the most significant and influential schools of thought in the philosophy of mathematics that promotes the common view that mathematics should be understood as a consistent and meaningful extension of logic. This fundamental school was originated in 1884 by Gottlob Frege, a recognized and talented philosopher, logician, and mathematician from Germany who is often compared to the father of analytic philosophy as he investigated the tight link among philosophy of language, logic, and mathematics. According to the official data, this comprehensive school was rediscovered, modified, and improved approximately 18 years later by B. Russell, a famous logician and philosopher from Great Britain. Another prominent logicist was A. N. Whitehead who contributed the development and expansion of this comprehensive school.
One of the key purposes of this professional school is to provide confirmatory evidence that classical mathematics is an integral component or part of logic. In other to understand and clearly interpret the role and value of logicism, it is critically important to analyze and evaluate this complex concept taking into account the ideas and thoughts not only of pioneers of logicism and classical mathematicians, but also estimations of present-day professionals in these fields. With the primary purpose to carry out a successful program, Russell in right collaboration with mathematician Whitehead created Principia Mathematica, a well-plotted and extensive three-volume work that was purposed to explain that the essence of mathematics may be reduced to logic. However, instead of Principia, it is possible to use other formal sets of theories, including practical and useful theory developed by Zelmero and Fraenkel, in order to understand the essence and value of logicism.
In order to understand the essence of logicism, it is critically important to clarify and evaluate how logicists define and describe logic. In general, while communicating about logic, logicists mean something broader and more important than classical logic. In general, the term classical logic may be defined as a set of theorems which can be easily proven in numerous first order languages without extensive use of nonlogical axioms. The definition of logic promoted by logicists is more abstract, elaborate, and extensive. To understand the essence and nature of logicism, it is crucially important to realize that because logicism is founded in philosophy, logicists should focus on philosophical language and lessen the use of complex mathematical language. Logicists are encouraged to rely on philosophical language since mathematics and mathematical language cannot handle complex and multilayered definitions of so wide a scope.
Usefulness of Logicism in the Contemporary Environment
Numerous passionate and dedicated advocates of so-called neo-logicism as a new movement in the philosophy of mathematics claim that they are neo-logicists or neo-Fregeans who believe that undated and revised version of traditional Freges version of logicism is more effective as it reduces the complexity of mathematical knowledge and may be applicable to real-life environments and situations. Researchers who compare and contrast Freges form of logicism and Russells logicism claim that Russells logicism is more consistent and effective than Freges logicism as well as neo-logicism because it offers more elegant, appropriate, and satisfactory solutions to numerous serious problems that continue to affect the neo-logicist movement, especially bad company objection and numerous worries about a so-called bloated ontology and many others .
Frege was a proponent of the idea that the theory of natural numbers as well as real analysis must be understood as analytic and it is provable on the basis of several logical laws together with clear and suitable definitions. On the contrary, neo-Fregeanism promotes the common view that although Frege was substantially right in his philosophy, neo-Fregeanism focuses on more optimistic views. The Direction Equivalence is a well-known example that was used by Frege to demonstrate and explain the results of his experiments. Emergence of neologicism as an effective successor of the new project is consistent and meaningful because it focuses on the key logical principles and values. Advocates of neo-logicism emphasize that traditional Fregean logic is limited and inconsistent because mathematics should not be reduced to logic.
However, although principles and rules of logicism are extensively criticized by advocates of neologicism who believe that the philosophy of mathematics should not be based on logic alone and introduce additional abstraction principles, logicism remains one of the most significant and reputable schools in the philosophy of mathematics and is extensively used in modern days. Logicism, the traditional view that the truth of arithmetic can be effectively proven on the basis of logical rules and principles, is widely used today as an implausible and efficient view. At present, logicism, as a powerful and strong school, is sufficiently used not only by philosophers and mathematicians, but also buy many other professionals in different spheres.
For instance, scholars who explore usefulness and applicability of logicism in the contemporary environment highlight that this philosophical school of thought directly contributes to the foundation and development of computer science. In general, the common view that mathematics can be easily reduced to logic has been central to the establishment of computer science. Frege and Russels theories supplement Wittgensteins theory of meaning that focuses on human-computer interactions, and highlight that logicism promotes computer science as it proves that computers perfectly understand the essence and meaning of numerous symbols they process. In other words, logicism provides confirmatory evidence that formal, extensive, and professional language of logic is suitable and perfectly adapted for human beings trying to communicate with numerous technological innovations, especially computers, in order to maximize its efficiency and productivity.
Logicism with its mathematical roots may be used by professionals in different teaching and learning processes to understand and adequately interpret students reasoning processes. Researchers convince that well-developed introductory courses in logicism are extremely effective as they enhance reasoning processes and improve proof abilities. Many researchers, who explore and evaluate the use of logicism in diverse contemporary environments and contexts, stress that logicism plays a predominant role because its enables learners to understand tight and cohesive relationships between two critically important elements, including argumentation and mathematic proof. Moreover, scholars emphasize that traditional mathematic proof can be classified as intrinsically semantic because it may be used to recognize numerous properties of objects. Researchers predict that logicism is one of the main topics that should be included in the introductory courses of logic because it contributes to the development of vitally important skills and encourages all students to exercise and practice these skills and knowledge in numerous courses, including mathematics, to resolve complex problems in situations that involve practical reasoning. Thus, logicism is useful and effective even outside the field of mathematics because it encourages to teach logic as a harmonious and balanced set of logical rules and principles; approaches logic not only as an abstract and autonomous discipline but also as an efficient and practical tool for many other knowledge areas; offers a unique logical thinking; develops an effective ability to create and maintain clear lines of reasoning; and aids in formulating views and ideas with increased clarity and precision in order to develop logical and convincing arguments.
Conclusions
Mathematical knowledge, as it is commonly understood in scientific literature today, is complex and multifaceted as it is interpreted by members of the research community in a different manner. Logicism is a famous and reputable school in the philosophy of mathematics that is extensively used to analyze and interpret mathematical knowledge with increased transparency, clarity, comprehension, and precision. Logicism is used to lessen the complexity of mathematical knowledge as it aims to prove that classical mathematics is an integral component of logic. Logicism plays a pivotal role because it provides confirmatory evidence that because mathematics as a discipline is identical with logic, it is analytic, consistent, and comprehensive.
