304 research outputs found
Ramsey equivalence
In the literature over the Ramsey-sentence approach to structural realism, there is often debate over whether structural realists can legitimately restrict the range of the second-order quantifiers, in order to avoid the Newman problem. In this paper, I argue that even if they are allowed to, it won’t help: even if the Ramsey sentence is interpreted using such restricted quantifiers, it is still an implausible candidate to capture a theory’s structural content. To do so, I use the following observation: if a Ramsey sentence did encode a theory’s structural content, then two theories would be structurally equivalent just in case they have logically equivalent Ramsey sentences. I then argue that this criterion for structural equivalence is implausible, even where frame or Henkin semantics are used
Ramsey equivalence
In the literature over the Ramsey-sentence approach to structural realism, there is often debate over whether structural realists can legitimately restrict the range of the second-order quantifiers, in order to avoid the Newman problem. In this paper, I argue that even if they are allowed to, it won’t help: even if the Ramsey sentence is interpreted using such restricted quantifiers, it is still an implausible candidate to capture a theory’s structural content. To do so, I use the following observation: if a Ramsey sentence did encode a theory’s structural content, then two theories would be structurally equivalent just in case they have logically equivalent Ramsey sentences. I then argue that this criterion for structural equivalence is implausible, even where frame or Henkin semantics are used
Ramsey equivalence
In the literature over the Ramsey-sentence approach to structural realism, there is often debate over whether structural realists can legitimately restrict the range of the second-order quantifiers, in order to avoid the Newman problem. In this paper, I argue that even if they are allowed to, it won’t help: even if the Ramsey sentence is interpreted using such restricted quantifiers, it is still an implausible candidate to capture a theory’s structural content. To do so, I use the following observation: if a Ramsey sentence did encode a theory’s structural content, then two theories would be structurally equivalent just in case they have logically equivalent Ramsey sentences. I then argue that this criterion for structural equivalence is implausible, even where frame or Henkin semantics are used
Tarski's influence on computer science
The influence of Alfred Tarski on computer science was indirect but
significant in a number of directions and was in certain respects fundamental.
Here surveyed is the work of Tarski on the decision procedure for algebra and
geometry, the method of elimination of quantifiers, the semantics of formal
languages, modeltheoretic preservation theorems, and algebraic logic; various
connections of each with computer science are taken up
Changing a semantics: opportunism or courage?
The generalized models for higher-order logics introduced by Leon Henkin, and
their multiple offspring over the years, have become a standard tool in many
areas of logic. Even so, discussion has persisted about their technical status,
and perhaps even their conceptual legitimacy. This paper gives a systematic
view of generalized model techniques, discusses what they mean in mathematical
and philosophical terms, and presents a few technical themes and results about
their role in algebraic representation, calibrating provability, lowering
complexity, understanding fixed-point logics, and achieving set-theoretic
absoluteness. We also show how thinking about Henkin's approach to semantics of
logical systems in this generality can yield new results, dispelling the
impression of adhocness. This paper is dedicated to Leon Henkin, a deep
logician who has changed the way we all work, while also being an always open,
modest, and encouraging colleague and friend.Comment: 27 pages. To appear in: The life and work of Leon Henkin: Essays on
his contributions (Studies in Universal Logic) eds: Manzano, M., Sain, I. and
Alonso, E., 201
Uniform Definability in Propositional Dependence Logic
Both propositional dependence logic and inquisitive logic are expressively
complete. As a consequence, every formula with intuitionistic disjunction or
intuitionistic implication can be translated equivalently into a formula in the
language of propositional dependence logic without these two connectives. We
show that although such a (non-compositional) translation exists, neither
intuitionistic disjunction nor intuitionistic implication is uniformly
definable in propositional dependence logic
Characterizing Quantifier Extensions of Dependence Logic
We characterize the expressive power of extensions of Dependence Logic and
Independence Logic by monotone generalized quantifiers in terms of quantifier
extensions of existential second-order logic.Comment: 9 page
Complete Axiomatizations of Fragments of Monadic Second-Order Logic on Finite Trees
We consider a specific class of tree structures that can represent basic
structures in linguistics and computer science such as XML documents, parse
trees, and treebanks, namely, finite node-labeled sibling-ordered trees. We
present axiomatizations of the monadic second-order logic (MSO), monadic
transitive closure logic (FO(TC1)) and monadic least fixed-point logic
(FO(LFP1)) theories of this class of structures. These logics can express
important properties such as reachability. Using model-theoretic techniques, we
show by a uniform argument that these axiomatizations are complete, i.e., each
formula that is valid on all finite trees is provable using our axioms. As a
backdrop to our positive results, on arbitrary structures, the logics that we
study are known to be non-recursively axiomatizable
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