Editing Gottlob Frege (section)

== Life ==

=== Childhood (1848–69) ===
Frege was born in 1848 in [[Wismar]], [[Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin|Mecklenburg-Schwerin]] (today part of [[Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]] in northern Germany). His father, Carl (Karl) Alexander Frege (1809–1866), was the co-founder and headmaster of a girls' high school until his death. After Carl's death, the school was led by Frege's mother Auguste Wilhelmine Sophie Frege (née Bialloblotzky, 12 January 1815 – 14 October 1898); her mother was Auguste Amalia Maria Ballhorn, a descendant of [[Philipp Melanchthon]]<ref>Lothar Kreiser, ''Gottlob Frege: Leben – Werk – Zeit'', Felix Meiner Verlag, 2013, p. 11.</ref> and her father was Johann Heinrich Siegfried Bialloblotzky, a descendant of a [[Polish people|Polish]] noble family who left Poland in the 17th century.<ref>Arndt Richter, [http://www.genetalogie.de/gg/alfrege.pdf "Ahnenliste des Mathematikers Gottlob Frege, 1848–1925"]</ref> Frege was a Lutheran.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jacquette |first=Dale |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hwiKDwAAQBAJ&dq=gottlob+frege+lutheran&pg=PA73 |title=Frege: A Philosophical Biography |date=4 April 2019 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=9780521863278}}</ref>

In childhood, Frege encountered philosophies that would guide his future scientific career. For example, his father wrote a [[textbook]] on the German language for children aged 9–13, entitled ''Hülfsbuch zum Unterrichte in der deutschen Sprache für Kinder von 9 bis 13 Jahren'' (2nd ed., Wismar 1850; 3rd ed., Wismar and Ludwigslust: Hinstorff, 1862) (Help book for teaching German to children from 9 to 13 years old), the first section of which dealt with the structure and [[logic]] of [[language]].

Frege studied at {{Interlanguage link multi|Große Stadtschule Wismar|de}} and graduated in 1869.<ref name=":0">Jacquette, Dale ''Frege: A Philosophical Biography'', Cambridge University Press, 2019, p. xiii.</ref> Teacher of mathematics and natural science Gustav Adolf Leo Sachse (1843–1909), who was also a poet, played an important role in determining Frege's future scientific career, encouraging him to continue his studies at his own [[alma mater]] the [[University of Jena]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jacquette |first=Dale |author-link=Dale Jacquette |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/9781139033725/type/book |title=Frege: A Philosophical Biography |date=2019-04-04 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-139-03372-5 |edition=1 |pages=37, 42 |chapter=2 - Education through University Days (1854–1874) |doi=10.1017/9781139033725.005 |quote=}}</ref>

=== Studies at University (1869–74) ===
Frege matriculated at the University of Jena in the spring of 1869 as a citizen of the [[North German Confederation]]. In the four semesters of his studies, he attended approximately twenty courses of lectures, most of them on mathematics and physics. His most important teacher was [[Ernst Karl Abbe]] (1840–1905; physicist, mathematician, and inventor). Abbe gave lectures on theory of gravity, galvanism and electrodynamics, complex analysis theory of functions of a complex variable, applications of physics, selected divisions of mechanics, and mechanics of solids. Abbe was more than a teacher to Frege: he was a trusted friend, and, as director of the optical manufacturer Carl Zeiss AG, he was in a position to advance Frege's career. After Frege's graduation, they came into closer correspondence.{{cn|date=June 2024}}

His other notable university teachers were Christian Philipp Karl Snell (1806–86; subjects: use of infinitesimal analysis in geometry, [[analytic geometry]] of [[plane (geometry)|planes]], analytical mechanics, optics, physical foundations of mechanics); [[Hermann Schaeffer|Hermann Karl Julius Traugott Schaeffer]] (1824–1900; analytic geometry, applied physics, algebraic analysis, on the telegraph and other [[electronics|electronic machines]]); and the philosopher [[Kuno Fischer]] (1824–1907; [[Kantianism|Kantian]] and [[critical philosophy]]).{{cn|date=June 2024}}

Starting in 1871, Frege continued his studies in Göttingen, the leading university in mathematics in German-speaking territories, where he attended the lectures of [[Alfred Clebsch|Rudolf Friedrich Alfred Clebsch]] (1833–72; analytic geometry), [[Ernst Christian Julius Schering]] (1824–97; function theory), [[Wilhelm Eduard Weber]] (1804–91; physical studies, applied physics), Eduard Riecke (1845–1915; theory of electricity), and [[Hermann Lotze]] (1817–81; philosophy of religion). Many of the philosophical doctrines of the mature Frege have parallels in Lotze; it has been the subject of scholarly debate whether or not there was a direct influence on Frege's views arising from his attending Lotze's lectures.{{cn|date=June 2024}}

In 1873, Frege attained his doctorate under Schering.

Frege married Margarete Katharina Sophia Anna Lieseberg (15 February 1856 – 25 June 1904) on 14 March 1887.<ref name=":0" /> The couple had at least two children, who unfortunately died when young. Years later, they adopted a son, Alfred. Little else is known about Frege's family life, however.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://iep.utm.edu/frege/ | title=Frege, Gottlob &#124; Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy }}</ref>