Frege applies the context principle to the question of how the numbers are “given to us.” This is a semantic question about how number terms come to refer to numbers. By the context principle, this question cannot be answered in isolation, outside of any sentential context. The question must instead be answered by explaining how sentences containing number terms come to be meaningful. In this way, Frege hopes, the context principle will transform the question about our semantic and epistemic “access” to numbers into an easier question about the meanings of arithmetical sentences.
