ANALYSIS VERSUS LAWS - BOOLE EXPLANATORY PSYCHOLOGISM VERSUS HIS EXPLANATORY ANTI-PSYCHOLOGISM

This paper discusses George Boole's two distinct approaches to the exp lanatory relationship between logical and psychological theory. It is argued that, whereas in his first book he attributes a substantive rol e to psychology in the foundation of logical theory, in his second wor k he abandons that position in favour of a linguistically conceived fo undation. The early Boole espoused a type of psychologism and later ca me to adopt a type of anti-psychologism. To appreciate this invites a far-reaching reassessment of his philosophy of logic.