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Ideas for 'fragments/reports', 'On Second-Order Logic' and 'Logical Atomism'

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3 ideas

5. Theory of Logic / K. Features of Logics / 1. Axiomatisation
Some axioms may only become accepted when they lead to obvious conclusions [Russell]
     Full Idea: Some of the premisses (of my logicist theory) are much less obvious than some of their consequences, and are believed chiefly because of their consequences. This will be found to be always the case when a science is arranged as a deductive system.
     From: Bertrand Russell (Logical Atomism [1924], p.145)
     A reaction: We shouldn't assume the model of self-evident axioms leading to surprising conclusions, which is something like the standard model for rationalist foundationalists. Russell nicely points out that the situation could be just the opposite
5. Theory of Logic / K. Features of Logics / 4. Completeness
Weak completeness: if it is valid, it is provable. Strong: it is provable from a set of sentences [Boolos]
     Full Idea: A weak completeness theorem shows that a sentence is provable whenever it is valid; a strong theorem, that a sentence is provable from a set of sentences whenever it is a logical consequence of the set.
     From: George Boolos (On Second-Order Logic [1975], p.52)
     A reaction: So the weak version says |- φ → |= φ, and the strong versions says Γ |- φ → Γ |= φ. Presumably it is stronger if it can specify the source of the inference.
5. Theory of Logic / K. Features of Logics / 6. Compactness
Why should compactness be definitive of logic? [Boolos, by Hacking]
     Full Idea: Boolos asks why on earth compactness, whatever its virtues, should be definitive of logic itself.
     From: report of George Boolos (On Second-Order Logic [1975]) by Ian Hacking - What is Logic? §13