Frege, compositionality and existence

Abstract

In this paper I show how Frege’s treatment of existence in terms of quantification clashes against the principle of compositionality and I attempt to provide a possible solution to the problem. I expose some of the main innovations introduced by Frege in logic in order to show his good reasons in favor of compositionality and I show how such principle is at odds with the quantificational account of existence. In the final part, I propose a Meinongian solution, namely to abandon the idea that existence is expressed satisfactorily by the particular quantifier and that all terms that succeed to refer, refer to existent objects.