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The reason that I call my doctrine logical atomism is because the atoms that I wish to arrive at as the sort of last residue in analysis are logical atoms and not physical atoms. Some of them will be what I call 'particulars' - such things as little patches of color or sounds, momentary things - and some of them will be predicates or relations and so on.

Bertrand Russell#79

PhilosophyLogicSemanticsAnalysisConcepts

About this quote

What does it mean?
Logical atomism treats the smallest elements of analysis as logical atoms—simple particulars or relations—rather than physical particles.
In plain terms
Logical atoms are basic concepts, not physical stuff.
What can you take from it?
Break ideas into fundamental logical components.

Where it applies

  • formal semantics
  • knowledge representation

Putting it to work

  • identify basic predicates
  • model relations

Questions to consider

  • What are the simplest logical units in your field?
  • How do they differ from physical atoms?

Another view

Physical reality may resist reduction to purely logical atoms.

More from Bertrand Russell

  1. My desire and wish is that the things I start with should be so obvious that you wonder why I spend my time stating them. This is what I aim at because the poi…

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  2. To understand a name you must be acquainted with the particular of which it is a name.

    Permalink to quote #80
  3. I do not pretend to start with precise questions. I do not think you can start with anything precise. You have to achieve such precision as you can, as you go …

    Permalink to quote #77

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