The Logic and Metaphysics Workshop will meet on December 7th from 4:15-6:15 (NY time) via Zoom for a talk by Jennifer McDonald (CUNY).

Title: Essential Structure and Apt Causal Models

Abstract: A promising account of actual causation – the causal relation holding between two token events – uses the language of structural equation models (SEMs). Such an account says, roughly, that actual causation holds between two token events when there is a suitable model according to which (1) the two events occur; and (2) intervening on the model to change the value of the variable that represents the cause changes the value of the variable that represents the effect (Halpern & Pearl, 2005; Hitchcock, 2001; Weslake, 2015; Woodward, 2003). Of course, this calls for an account of when a model is suitable – or, apt. Although initially bracketed, this issue is increasingly pressing; in part due to the recently discovered problem of structural isomorphs (Hall 2007; Hitchcock 2007a; Blanchard and Schaffer 2017; Menzies 2017). This paper offers a unified analysis of two aptness requirements from the literature – those enjoining us to include essential structure and avoid unstable models. While successfully invoked by Blanchard and Schaffer (2017) to resolve the problem of structural isomorphs, these requirements are unilluminating as they stand. My paper synthesizes them into a single aptness requirement that, I claim, gets to the heart of what’s representationally required of a causal model for capturing actual causation.

Following the recent workshop, Substructural Logic, Hierarchies Thereof, and Solutions to the Liar (October 30th, 2020), the Logic and Metaphysics Workshop and the Saul Kripke Center shall host ST and All That: Philosophical Issues, a roundtable discussion considering the philosophical implications of this technical work. The meeting will happen on Monday, December 14th, 2020, from 4:15 to 6:15 pm (NY time). Four panelists will speak for 15 minutes each addressing (at least) the following questions:

* What do we learn about the nature of logic from ST and its hierarchy?

* What do we learn about solutions to the liar from ST and its hierarchy?

There will then be an open discussion for all present. The panelists will be: Shay Logan (Kansas State), Federico Pailos (Buenos Aires), Dave Ripley (Monash), and Chris Scambler (NYU).

Talks will be on Zoom, and are open to all interested. A link will be sent out on the mailing lists of the Logic and Metaphysics Workshop and the Saul Kripke Center not later than the day before. People not on either of those lists who want to receive the link should email Graham Priest (priest DOT graham AT gmail DOT com). PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PASS ON THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.

The Logic and Metaphysics Workshop will meet on November 30th from 4:15-6:15 (NY time) via Zoom for a talk by Mircea Dumitru (Bucharest).

Title: A Free Logic for Fictionalism

Abstract: In Reference without Referents, Mark Sainsbury aims to provide an account of reference that honours the common-sense view that sentences containing empty names like “Sherlock Holmes”, “Vulcan”, and “Santa Claus” are entirely intelligible, and that many such sentences — “Vulcan doesn’t exist”, “Many children believe that Santa Claus will give them presents at Christmas”, etc.— are literally true. Sainsbury’s account endorses the Davidsonian program in the theory of meaning, and combines this with a commitment to Negative Free Logic, which holds that all simple sentences containing empty names are false. In my talk, I pose a number of problems for this account. In particular, I question the ability of Negative Free Logic to make appropriate sense of the truth of familiar sentences containing empty names, including negative existential claims like “Vulcan doesn’t exist”.

Note: this is based on joint work with Frederick Kroon (Auckland).

The Logic and Metaphysics Workshop will meet on November 23rd from 4:15-6:15 (NY time) via Zoom for a talk by Behnam Zolghadr (LMU Munich).

Title: How to Abū Hāšim Meinong

Abstract: Similar to Meinong, Abū Hāšim al-Ǧubbāī (d.933), an Islamic theologian/philosopher, held the view that some objects do not exist. This paper is a comparative study between Meinong’s object theory and Abū Hāšim’s theory of nonexistent objects. Our comparative study will be carried out through three main topics: the characterization principle, objecthood, and the ontological status of existence itself. Moreover, Abū Hāšim and his followers argue that the view that some objects do not exist implies some truth value gaps and/or gluts. We will also discuss two of these arguments.

The Logic and Metaphysics Workshop will meet on November 16th from 4:15-6:15 (NY time) via Zoom for a talk by Nick Stang (Toronto).

Title: Hegel’s Logic as Logic and as Metaphysics

Abstract: In the Encyclopaedia Logic Hegel claims that logic “coincides with” metaphysics (§24). In this talk, I will explain why Hegelian logic (the science of thinking) is identical with metaphysics (the science of being). Along the way, I will also shed light on two of the most obscure aspects of Hegel’s logic: that it involves “movement” and that this movement works by the identification, and resolution, of contradictions.

The Logic and Metaphysics Workshop will meet on November 9th from 4:15-6:15 (NY time) via Zoom for a talk by Eoin Moore (CUNY).

Title: Towards a Justification Logic for FDE

Abstract: In this work-in-progress, I aim to develop a justification logic counterpart to first degree entailment. I produce a logic which is an extension of FDE using justification terms. The results are extended to other paraconsistent logics.