Modal Logics and Philosophy

Unlike most modal logic textbooks, which are both forbidding mathematically and short on philosophical discussion, Modal Logics and Philosophy places its emphasis firmly on showing how useful modal logic can be as a tool for formal philosophy, metaphysics, temporal reasoning, epistemics, the analysis of action and processes, and ethical reasoning. Moving beyond propositional logic and predicate logic, Rod Girle shows that modal logic offers the power to clearly articulate and explore philosophical arguments concerning possibility and necessity, concepts that are essential in our thought and usher in the notion of "possible worlds." In Part 1 the reader is introduced to some standard systems of modal logic and encouraged through a series of exercises to become proficient in manipulating these logics. The emphasis is on possible world semantics for modal logics and the semantic emphasis is carried into the formal method, Jeffrey-style truth-trees. Standard truth-trees are extended in a simple and transparent way to take possible worlds into account. Part 2 systematically explores the applications of modal logic to philosophical issues such as truth, time, processes, knowledge and belief, obligation and permission. Accessible, authoritative, and assured, Modal Logics and Philosophy requires no more background than the completion of a standard introductory logic course. It will be welcomed not only by students looking for a bridge between introductory logic texts and the high-level technical literature but as a guide to, and exploration of, work at the forefront of logic and philosophy.

Unlike most modal logic textbooks, which are both forbidding mathematically and short on philosophical discussion, Modal Logics and Philosophy places its emphasis firmly on showing how useful modal logic can be as a tool for formal philosophy, metaphysics, temporal reasoning, epistemics, the analysis of action and processes, and ethical reasoning. Moving beyond propositional logic and predicate logic, Rod Girle shows that modal logic offers the power to clearly articulate and explore philosophical arguments concerning possibility and necessity, concepts that are essential in our thought and usher in the notion of possible worlds.

Acknowledgements 1 Argument and modality 1 Part 1 Formal systems 2 A simple modal logic 13 3 The normal modal logics 28 4 Modal predicate logics 51 5 The non-normal modal logics 75 6 Natural deduction and axiomatics 87 Part 2 Applications 7 Alethic modality 109 8 Temporallogic 121 9 Dynamic logic 142 10 Epistemic logic 148 11 Deontic logic 170 12 Synthesis 177 Answers Index Machine generated contents note: 1 Argument and modality Part 1 Formal systems 2 A simple modal logic 3 The normal modal logics 4 Modal predicate logics 5 The non-normal modal logics 6 Natural deduction and axiomatics Part 2 Applications 7 Alethic modality 8 Temporal logic 9 Dynamic logic 10 Epistemic logic 11 Deontic logic 12 Synthesis.