display all the ideas for this combination of philosophers
10 ideas
13534 | In first-order logic syntactic and semantic consequence (|- and |=) nicely coincide [Wolf,RS] |
Full Idea: One of the most appealing features of first-order logic is that the two 'turnstiles' (the syntactic single |-, and the semantic double |=), which are the two reasonable notions of logical consequence, actually coincide. | |
From: Robert S. Wolf (A Tour through Mathematical Logic [2005], 5.3) | |
A reaction: In the excitement about the possibility of second-order logic, plural quantification etc., it seems easy to forget the virtues of the basic system that is the target of the rebellion. The issue is how much can be 'expressed' in first-order logic. |
13535 | First-order logic is weakly complete (valid sentences are provable); we can't prove every sentence or its negation [Wolf,RS] |
Full Idea: The 'completeness' of first order-logic does not mean that every sentence or its negation is provable in first-order logic. We have instead the weaker result that every valid sentence is provable. | |
From: Robert S. Wolf (A Tour through Mathematical Logic [2005], 5.3) | |
A reaction: Peter Smith calls the stronger version 'negation completeness'. |
13519 | Model theory uses sets to show that mathematical deduction fits mathematical truth [Wolf,RS] |
Full Idea: Model theory uses set theory to show that the theorem-proving power of the usual methods of deduction in mathematics corresponds perfectly to what must be true in actual mathematical structures. | |
From: Robert S. Wolf (A Tour through Mathematical Logic [2005], Pref) | |
A reaction: That more or less says that model theory demonstrates the 'soundness' of mathematics (though normal arithmetic is famously not 'complete'). Of course, he says they 'correspond' to the truths, rather than entailing them. |
13531 | Model theory reveals the structures of mathematics [Wolf,RS] |
Full Idea: Model theory helps one to understand what it takes to specify a mathematical structure uniquely. | |
From: Robert S. Wolf (A Tour through Mathematical Logic [2005], 5.1) | |
A reaction: Thus it is the development of model theory which has led to the 'structuralist' view of mathematics. |
13532 | Model theory 'structures' have a 'universe', some 'relations', some 'functions', and some 'constants' [Wolf,RS] |
Full Idea: A 'structure' in model theory has a non-empty set, the 'universe', as domain of variables, a subset for each 'relation', some 'functions', and 'constants'. | |
From: Robert S. Wolf (A Tour through Mathematical Logic [2005], 5.2) |
13533 | First-order model theory rests on completeness, compactness, and the Löwenheim-Skolem-Tarski theorem [Wolf,RS] |
Full Idea: The three foundations of first-order model theory are the Completeness theorem, the Compactness theorem, and the Löwenheim-Skolem-Tarski theorem. | |
From: Robert S. Wolf (A Tour through Mathematical Logic [2005], 5.3) | |
A reaction: On p.180 he notes that Compactness and LST make no mention of |- and are purely semantic, where Completeness shows the equivalence of |- and |=. All three fail for second-order logic (p.223). |
13537 | An 'isomorphism' is a bijection that preserves all structural components [Wolf,RS] |
Full Idea: An 'isomorphism' is a bijection between two sets that preserves all structural components. The interpretations of each constant symbol are mapped across, and functions map the relation and function symbols. | |
From: Robert S. Wolf (A Tour through Mathematical Logic [2005], 5.4) |
13539 | The LST Theorem is a serious limitation of first-order logic [Wolf,RS] |
Full Idea: The Löwenheim-Skolem-Tarski theorem demonstrates a serious limitation of first-order logic, and is one of primary reasons for considering stronger logics. | |
From: Robert S. Wolf (A Tour through Mathematical Logic [2005], 5.7) |
13538 | If a theory is complete, only a more powerful language can strengthen it [Wolf,RS] |
Full Idea: It is valuable to know that a theory is complete, because then we know it cannot be strengthened without passing to a more powerful language. | |
From: Robert S. Wolf (A Tour through Mathematical Logic [2005], 5.5) |
13525 | Most deductive logic (unlike ordinary reasoning) is 'monotonic' - we don't retract after new givens [Wolf,RS] |
Full Idea: Deductive logic, including first-order logic and other types of logic used in mathematics, is 'monotonic'. This means that we never retract a theorem on the basis of new givens. If T|-φ and T⊆SW, then S|-φ. Ordinary reasoning is nonmonotonic. | |
From: Robert S. Wolf (A Tour through Mathematical Logic [2005], 1.7) | |
A reaction: The classic example of nonmonotonic reasoning is the induction that 'all birds can fly', which is retracted when the bird turns out to be a penguin. He says nonmonotonic logic is a rich field in computer science. |