Conference: The Structure of Modal and Semantic Reasoning

Idea and Motivation

In the last 50 years, the success of possible worlds semantics for intensional logics has determined a discrepancy between techniques, aims and themes employed in the study of modal notions (broadly conceived as to include propositional attitudes, probability, validity) and in the study of truth. If the former endeavour focuses more on analyzing the logical space given by possible worlds semantics -- leaving aside problems and limitations that full self-reference and quantification may provide -- as a model for understanding modal concepts, the philosophical and logical mainstream in the study of truth is still deeply concerned with paradox and the self-referential aspects of sufficiently expressive languages containing a truth predicate. The conference aims at bringing together researchers working on the interaction between these two traditions with a particular emphasis on expressive frameworks that treat truth and modalities as interacting predicates. In particular, the conference will be guided by the following research threads:

• Tools to enrich the operator approach to modal notions with devices to achieve self-reference and quantificational power.
• Primitive truth: philosophy, logic, and applications.
• Possible worlds semantics and modal predicates.
• Modelling the objects of truth and modal ascriptions in the predicate approach: sentences, propositions, facts.
• Extending theories of primitive truth to modal predicates.
• Interaction of modal predicates as a tool to achieve proof-theoretic strength.

Further Information

• Website of "The Structure of Modal and Semantic Reasoning"