Frege's ontology and the problems of the third realm

In this thesis, I investigate Gottlob Frege's philosophy, particularly his conception of thoughts as existing in a "third realm" separate from the physical world and independent of human minds. I begin with an exegisis of Frege's philosophy, examine the interpretations of Michael Dummett and Joan Weiner, and finally adjudicate between their differing conceptions of Frege's thought. In conclusion, I find that Frege's third realm is a metaphysical entity, yet one which serves a useful purpose of providing an ontological grounding for the expression of assertoric sentences.