3,450 research outputs found
A proof-theoretic analysis of the classical propositional matrix method
The matrix method, due to Bibel and Andrews, is a proof procedure designed for automated theorem-proving. We show that underlying this method is a fully structured combinatorial model of conventional classical proof theory. © 2012 The Author, 2012. Published by Oxford University Press
An Introduction to Mechanized Reasoning
Mechanized reasoning uses computers to verify proofs and to help discover new
theorems. Computer scientists have applied mechanized reasoning to economic
problems but -- to date -- this work has not yet been properly presented in
economics journals. We introduce mechanized reasoning to economists in three
ways. First, we introduce mechanized reasoning in general, describing both the
techniques and their successful applications. Second, we explain how mechanized
reasoning has been applied to economic problems, concentrating on the two
domains that have attracted the most attention: social choice theory and
auction theory. Finally, we present a detailed example of mechanized reasoning
in practice by means of a proof of Vickrey's familiar theorem on second-price
auctions
Geometric Aspects of Multiagent Systems
Recent advances in Multiagent Systems (MAS) and Epistemic Logic within
Distributed Systems Theory, have used various combinatorial structures that
model both the geometry of the systems and the Kripke model structure of models
for the logic. Examining one of the simpler versions of these models,
interpreted systems, and the related Kripke semantics of the logic (an
epistemic logic with -agents), the similarities with the geometric /
homotopy theoretic structure of groupoid atlases is striking. These latter
objects arise in problems within algebraic K-theory, an area of algebra linked
to the study of decomposition and normal form theorems in linear algebra. They
have a natural well structured notion of path and constructions of path
objects, etc., that yield a rich homotopy theory.Comment: 14 pages, 1 eps figure, prepared for GETCO200
Possible Patterns
“There are no gaps in logical space,” David Lewis writes, giving voice to sentiment shared by many philosophers. But different natural ways of trying to make this sentiment precise turn out to conflict with one another. One is a *pattern* idea: “Any pattern of instantiation is metaphysically possible.” Another is a *cut and paste* idea: “For any objects in any worlds, there exists a world that contains any number of duplicates of all of those objects.” We use resources from model theory to show the inconsistency of certain packages of combinatorial principles and the consistency of others
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
Normalisation Control in Deep Inference via Atomic Flows
We introduce `atomic flows': they are graphs obtained from derivations by
tracing atom occurrences and forgetting the logical structure. We study simple
manipulations of atomic flows that correspond to complex reductions on
derivations. This allows us to prove, for propositional logic, a new and very
general normalisation theorem, which contains cut elimination as a special
case. We operate in deep inference, which is more general than other syntactic
paradigms, and where normalisation is more difficult to control. We argue that
atomic flows are a significant technical advance for normalisation theory,
because 1) the technique they support is largely independent of syntax; 2)
indeed, it is largely independent of logical inference rules; 3) they
constitute a powerful geometric formalism, which is more intuitive than syntax
- …