On Thu, Aug 09, 2007 at 02:57:11PM -0500, Pat Hayes wrote:
> ...
> >There are generally two types of logics: Content-oriented and
> >Form-oriented, as much as two kinds of semantics: reality-centered
> >and just so called formal; semantics. The first one is
> >reality-driven logic based on ontological axioms and assumptions,
> >where the universe of discourse is the world, its kinds, levels,
> >pieces, fragments. The second one, more familiar here on this forum,
> >is nonreality oriented logic based on formal assumptions, where the
> >universe of discourse is logical objects and processes. Although it
> >may refer to anything, such logic represents nothing but the
> >structure of human thought and knowledge.
>
> I could not disagree more. This passage is full of basic
> misunderstandings. Formal semantics means semantics done formally, not
> a semantics of something 'unreal' because it is 'formal' in nature.
> The universe of discourse of a (formal) logic, according to the usual
> (formal) semantics, is not "logical objects and processes" (whatever
> they are) but is some set of things. Any set of things will do, and
> they can be abstract, imaginary, real or concrete. The theory is
> completely agnostic concerning the nature of these things in the
> universe. They are not required to be "constructs". They are not
> restricted to things that are "logical" in nature. Nothing in any part
> of the metatheory, semantics, philosophy, engineering or history of
> modern logic even slightly suggests that logics do not apply to
> reasoning about entities in the real world. All logic [*] is 'reality
> oriented', although it might be better to say 'reality orientable'. (01)
I know I'm not the best person to make this recommendation, but everyone
ought to print off the above quote and hang it over their desks. :-) (02)
The idea that formal logic is somehow about "formal objects" and is at
best only loosely connected to the real world is a persistent canard
that is utterly unhinged from the actual history of the subject --
ancient (Aristotle invented formal logic, after all) no less than
modern. (03)
-chris (04)
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