Wider still and wider\(\dots\) Resetting the bounds of logic (Q2776063)

Drawing on current research in what many might consider the borderlands of logic, this essay proposes that the logical enterprise be constructed more broadly than standard accounts would suggest, and that doing so will open fruitful domains of investigation. It advocates a greater sense of generality, so that results are seen not merely as describing the properties of this system or that, but as revealing general patterns underlying logical phenomena. Questions about `logical constants' and `deductive styles' can be viewed in this light. It recommends too new endeavors for logic, such as turning from emphasis on the (static) products of logical activities to address the (dynamic) activities themselves. It suggests seeking `fundamental laws' of logic that go beyond particular rules of inference or formal systems, but instead form invariance principles that inform logical inquiry in general. An analogy would be the conservation or symmetry principles of modern physics. The general view of logic that shapes this discussion is that logic is a general science of information structures and processes. As such, it belongs closely linked to research in artificial intelligence and cognitive science.NEWLINENEWLINEFor the entire collection see [Zbl 0972.00009].