A possible world semantics for disjunctive databases

1993 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 282-292 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.P.F. Chan
Keyword(s):  
Possible World ◽  
Possible World Semantics ◽  
Disjunctive Databases

Non-Reductive Materialism and the Spectrum of Mind-Body Theories

Dialogue ◽  
1988 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 475-488 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Kernohan
Keyword(s):  
Identity Theory ◽  
Possible World ◽  
Theory Reduction ◽  
Possible World Semantics ◽  
The Cost

In what follows I will sketch a very simple possible-world semantics which will allow us to sharpen the notion of a non-reductive, but materialist, mind-body identity theory. This simple semantics will enable us to characterize the various possible positions on mind-body identity and display the range of positions with respect to psycho-physical reduction. Though I am sympathetic to a non-reductive position which I label “autonomous monism”, I will be concerned here less with presenting positive arguments for that position than with describing a framework in which such arguments can be made and pointing out the issues that the position raises. The discussion achieves its abstract viewpoint at the cost of slightly idealizing the process of theory reduction, but the overview attained is worth the price.

Codd Table Representations under Weak Possible World Semantics

2011 ◽  
pp. 125-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Flavio Ferrarotti ◽  
Sven Hartmann ◽  
Van Bao Tran Le ◽  
Sebastian Link
Keyword(s):  
Possible World ◽  
Possible World Semantics

scholarly journals Reasoning and planning with sensing actions, incomplete information, and static causal laws using answer set programming

2007 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 377-450 ◽  
Author(s):  
PHAN HUY TU ◽  
TRAN CAO SON ◽  
CHITTA BARAL
Keyword(s):  
Incomplete Information ◽  
Answer Set Programming ◽  
Planning Problem ◽  
Possible World ◽  
Initial State ◽  
Possible World Semantics ◽  
Sensing Actions ◽  
Action Theories ◽  
Causal Laws ◽  
Answer Set

AbstractWe extend the 0-approximation of sensing actions and incomplete information in Son and Baral (2001) to action theories with static causal laws and prove its soundness with respect to the possible world semantics. We also show that the conditional planning problem with respect to this approximation isNP-complete. We then present an answer set programming based conditional planner, called ASCP, that is capable of generating both conformant plans and conditional plans in the presence of sensing actions, incomplete information about the initial state, and static causal laws. We prove the correctness of our implementation and argue that our planner is sound and complete with respect to the proposed approximation. Finally, we present experimental results comparing ASCP to other planners.

Applying D. K. Lewis’s Counterfactual Theory of Causation to the Philosophy of Historiography

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 349-369 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Maar
Keyword(s):  
Possible World ◽  
Possible World Semantics ◽  
Making Sense ◽  
Counterfactual Theory ◽  
Historical Causation ◽  
The Many ◽  
Historical Necessity

A theory of causation suitable for historiography must accommodate the many types of causal claims historians make. In this paper, I examine the advantages of applying D. K. Lewis’s counterfactual theory of causation to the philosophy of historiography. I contend that Lewis’s possible world semantics offers a superior framework for making sense of historical causation, and that it lays the foundation for historians to look at history as causal series of events, remaining agnostic as to whether there may be historical regularities or laws. Lewis’s theory can also accommodate important notions often used by historians, such as absences as causes, historical necessity and contingency, and the role they play in the formulation of historical counterfactuals.

scholarly journals KAIP APIBRĖŽIAMOSIOS DESKRIPCIJOS VARTOJAMOS SINGULIARINIAMS TEIGINIAMS IŠREIKŠTI?

Problemos ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 85 ◽  
pp. 130-140
Author(s):  
Evgeny Borisov
Keyword(s):  
Possible Worlds ◽  
Definite Description ◽  
Definite Descriptions ◽  
Singular Proposition ◽  
Possible World ◽  
Possible World Semantics ◽  
Singular Propositions ◽  
Subject Term ◽  
The Subject

Straipsnyje keliamas klausimas: kokios sąlygos turi būti patenkintos, kad, ištarę sakinį su apibrėžiamąja deskripcija kaip sakinio subjektu, mes išreikštume singuliarinį teiginį (Kaplano prasme). Autorius teigia, kad Wettsteino įsitikinimas, jog teiginio singuliariškumas nustatomas ištarimo metu nurodant apibrėžiamosios deskripcijos referentą, yra nenuoseklus. Straipsnyje siūlomas kitas singuliariškumo kriterijus: teiginys yra singuliarinis, jeigu jame dalyvaujanti apibrėžiamoji deskripcija įvertinama vieninteliame galimame pasaulyje, o jeigu apibrėžiamoji deskripcija turi būti įvertinta daugiau nei vieno galimo pasaulio atžvilgiu, tai teiginys yra bendrasis (general). Šis kriterijus veiksmingas aiškinant kontroversiškus atvejus – kai išreiškiame teisingą singuliarinį teiginį, kurio subjekto dėmuo nedera su apibrėžiamąja deskripcija, pavartota ištartame sakinyje.Pagrindiniai žodžiai: apibrėžiamoji deskripcija, nuoroda, singuliarinis ir bendrasis teiginys, galimų pasaulių semantika. How Do We Use Definite Descriptions to Express Singular Propositions?Evgeny Borisov AbstractThe paper is devoted to the question: under what conditions do we express a singular proposition (in the Kaplanian sense) when uttering a sentence containing a definite description as the subject term. It is argued that Wettstein’s claim that singularity of a proposition is determined by the demonstration of the referent of definite description accompanying the utterance contains an inconsistency. An alternative criterion of singularity is proposed: we express a singular proposition if the definite description in question is to be evaluated at a single possible world, and we express a general one if the definite description in question is to be evaluated at a range of possible worlds. This criterion is effective in explaining controversial cases in which we manage to express a true singular proposition with a subject constituent that does not fit the definite description used in the utterance.Keywords: definite description, reference, singular and general propositions, possible world semantics

scholarly journals Crossworld Predication in Natural Language

2021 ◽  
pp. 260-272
Author(s):  
Евгений Васильевич Борисов
Keyword(s):  
Natural Language ◽  
Possible Worlds ◽  
Possible World ◽  
Partial Functions ◽  
Possible World Semantics

Некоторые предложения естественного языка, такие как «Джон мог быть выше, чем Мэри, как она есть», не допускают адекватного анализа в терминах стандартной семантики возможных миров, поскольку содержат кросс-мировую предикацию, которая в стандартной семантике не отображается. Для логического анализа такого рода предложений автором была разработана (и представлена в других публикациях) логика для кросс-мировой предикации (СРL). В статье приведен ряд примеров, демонстрирующих широкую распространенность феномена кросс-мировой предикации в естественном языке и описаны главные особенности семантики СРL (кросс-мировая интерпретация предикатов и использование частичных функций от переменных к возможным мирам в истинностной оценке формул), а также охарактеризована специфика синтаксиса СРL и онтологии, лежащей в ее основе. Some sentences of natural language cannot be adequately analyzed in terms of standard possible world semantics because they involve cross-world predication that cannot be reflected by means of standard semantics. An instance is ‘John might be taller than Mary is’. In some other papers the author proposed a logic for cross-word predication (CPL) that can be used to logically analyze sentences of this sort. In this paper, some examples are adduced that show that cross-world predication is highly widespread in natural language. The main features of the semantics of CPL are described, namely cross-world interpretation of predicates, and using partial functions from variables to possible worlds in the evaluation of formulas. Finally, the specificity of the syntax of CPL, and the ontology behind the semantics of CPL is characterized.

scholarly journals Theories of Meaning for the Internet of Things

2021 ◽  
pp. 37-61
Author(s):  
Michael Färber ◽  
Yulia Svetashova ◽  
Andreas Harth
Keyword(s):  
Internet Of Things ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Situation Semantics ◽  
World Knowledge ◽  
Possible World ◽  
Possible World Semantics ◽  
The World ◽  
Theories Of Meaning ◽  
The Internet Of Things ◽  
Theoretical Foundations

AbstractIn this chapter, we consider the theoretical foundations for representing knowledge in the Internet of Things context. Specifically, we consider (1) the model-theoretic semantics (i.e., extensional semantics), (2) the possible-world semantics (i.e., intensional semantics), (3) the situation semantics, and (4) the cognitive/distributional semantics. Given the peculiarities of the Internet of Things, we pay particular attention to (a) perception (i.e., how to establish a connection to the world), (b) intersubjectivity (i.e., how to align world representations), and (c) the dynamics of world knowledge (i.e., how to model events). We come to the conclusion that each of the semantic theories helps in modeling specific aspects, but does not sufficiently address all three aspects simultaneously.

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