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4. Formal Logic / D. Modal Logic ML / 2. Tools of Modal Logic / a. Symbols of ML

[symbols which are distinctive of modal logic]

4 ideas
Modal logic adds □ (necessarily) and ◊ (possibly) to classical logic [Fitting/Mendelsohn]
     Full Idea: For modal logic we add to the syntax of classical logic two new unary operators □ (necessarily) and ◊ (possibly).
     From: M Fitting/R Mendelsohn (First-Order Modal Logic [1998], 1.3)
We let 'R' be the accessibility relation: xRy is read 'y is accessible from x' [Fitting/Mendelsohn]
     Full Idea: We let 'R' be the accessibility relation: xRy is read 'y is accessible from x'.
     From: M Fitting/R Mendelsohn (First-Order Modal Logic [1998], 1.5)
The symbol ||- is the 'forcing' relation; 'Γ ||- P' means that P is true in world Γ [Fitting/Mendelsohn]
     Full Idea: The symbol ||- is used for the 'forcing' relation, as in 'Γ ||- P', which means that P is true in world Γ.
     From: M Fitting/R Mendelsohn (First-Order Modal Logic [1998], 1.6)
The prefix σ names a possible world, and σ.n names a world accessible from that one [Fitting/Mendelsohn]
     Full Idea: A 'prefix' is a finite sequence of positive integers. A 'prefixed formula' is an expression of the form σ X, where σ is a prefix and X is a formula. A prefix names a possible world, and σ.n names a world accessible from that one.
     From: M Fitting/R Mendelsohn (First-Order Modal Logic [1998], 2.2)