Seminar in Logic
Department of Philosophy (Siltavuorenpenger 20A), room 222
Friday 28.11.2008, 10-12
Giuseppina Ronzitti, "Stenius on antinomies"
Abstract: In his analysis of the nature of antinomies, Erik Stenius (1911 - 1990) observed that they are due to the fact that, in our formal languages, we allow "contradictory rules", rules that, therefore, cannot be followed. Studying the question of how it would be possible to avoid the introduction of contradictory rules, he came to formulate a theory of "well-formed classes of rules" as part of a more general theory, a set theory of a non-standard type which he called "theory of structurally open systems" (or also "evolving fields"). This program, at which he hinted already in his doctoral dissertation 'Das Problem der logischen Antinomies', constituted the theme of a projected book he was preparing at the invitation of E. Beth. A manuscript of the intended book, which Stenius never finished and published, is preserved in the Stenius' archive. In my talk I will report on Stenius' track starting from his study of the antinomies to the formulation of a theory of "structurally open systems" as partially developed in the manuscript.
Welcome,
Sara Negri and Gabriel Sandu