Logical Constants and Harmony of the Rules of Inference

Authors

  • Mariela Rubin UBA, BA-Logic Group

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22370/rhv2017iss9pp103-119

Keywords:

Harmony, tonk, Inferentialism, Proof-theoretic Semantics

Abstract

All through the literatura, the question about what is a logical constant has recieved many answers, from model-theoretic aproaches (Tarski; 1966), (Sher; 1991), (Bonnay; 2007) to answers that focus in the inferential practice as meaning (Dummett; 1991), (Prawitz; 1965), (Lorenzen; 1955). Detractors of the second tradition presented many ineludible incovenients, in particular, the logical constant named ‘tonk’ (Prior; 1960). Inferentialist tryed many solutions, in particular they presented the concept of ‘harmony’. The goal of this paper is to show that the different criteria of ‘harmony’ used in the proof-theoretic semantics to determine what is and what is not a logical constant fail to be necessary or sufficient.  I will show the philosophical reasons that make this concept appear and then i will describe the different ways in wich the literatura understads the concept of ‘harmony’. Then I will show that they subgenerate or overgenerate connectives with some counterexamples. Finaly, I will explain some philosophical reasons that should delimitate where to go towards a satisfactory definition of ‘harmony’.

References

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Published

2017-07-23

How to Cite

Rubin, M. (2017). Logical Constants and Harmony of the Rules of Inference. Revista De Humanidades De Valparaíso, (9), 103–119. https://doi.org/10.22370/rhv2017iss9pp103-119

Issue

No. 9 (2017): No 9 (2017)

Section

Articles

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