The law of excluded middle and the problem of idealism

Marian Przełęcki

pp. 1-16

in: Grazer Philosophische Studien 18, 1982.

Abstract

The law of excluded middle is usually considered as intrinsically connected with the realistic standpoint and incompatible with the idealistic position. This is just what Ajdukiewicz claims in his critique of transcendental idealism. The analysis of Ajdukiewicz's argumentation raises the problem of validity of the law of excluded middle for vague (or incomplete) languages. The problem is being solved by differentiating between the logical (or ontological) and the metalogical (or semantical) law of excluded middle: in contrast to the former, the latter is claimed to be invalid for the languages in question, without thereby embracing the idealist position.

Cited authors

Ajdukiewicz Kazimierz