Christine Ladd-Franklin

Abstract

Abstract Christine Ladd-Franklin was an American mathematician, logician, psychologist, and philosopher who studied at Vassar and Johns Hopkins and worked in institutions Germany and the United States. Although her scientific career spanned seemingly disparate fields, including mathematics, logic, philosophy, and psychology, the chapter will argue that there is a clear “red thread” that can be traced through all the facets of her research, which is an emphasis on the importance of correct vocabulary and correct notation. Despite facing widespread discrimination based on her gender, her pioneering contributions in the fields of algebras of logic and the psychology of perception are still influential today.