Alessandra Palmigiano

Algebraic modal correspondence: Sahlqvist and beyond

The present paper proposes a new introductory treatment of the very well known Sahlqvist correspondence theory for classical modal logic. The first motivation for the present treatment is {\em pedagogical}: classical Sahlqvist correspondence is presented in a uniform and modular way, and, unlike the existing textbook accounts, extends itself to a class of formulas laying outside the Sahlqvist class proper. The second motivation is {\em methodological}: the present treatment aims at highlighting the {\em algebraic} and {\em order-theoretic} nature of the correspondence mechanism. The exposition remains elementary and does not presuppose any previous knowledge or familiarity with the algebraic approach to logic. However, it provides the underlying motivation and basic intuitions for the recent developments in the Sahlqvist theory of nonclassical logics, which compose the so-called unified correspondence theory.

Dynamic Epistemic Logic Displayed

We introduce a display calculus for the logic of Epistemic Actions and Knowledge EAK of Baltag-Moss-Solecki. This calculus is cut-free and complete w.r.t. the standard Hilbert-style presentation of EAK, of which it is a conservative extension, given that--as is common to display calculi--it is defined on an expanded language in which all logical operations have adjoints. The additional dynamic operators do not have an interpretation in the standard Kripke semantics of EAK, but do have a natural interpretation in the final coalgebra. This proof-theoretic motivation revives the interest in the global semantics for dynamic epistemic logics pursued among others by Baltag [4], Cirstea and Sadrzadeh [8].

A proof-theoretic semantic analysis of dynamic epistemic logic

The present paper provides an analysis of the existing proof systems for dynamic epistemic logic from the viewpoint of proof-theoretic semantics. Dynamic epistemic logic is one of the best known members of a family of logical systems which have been successfully applied to diverse scientific disciplines, but the proof theoretic treatment of which presents many difficulties. After an illustration of the proof-theoretic semantic principles most relevant to the treatment of logical connectives, we turn to illustrating the main features of display calculi, a proof-theoretic paradigm which has been successfully employed to give a proof-theoretic semantic account of modal and substructural logics. Then, we review some of the most significant proposals of proof systems for dynamic epistemic logics, and we critically reflect on them in the light of the previously introduced proof-theoretic semantic principles. The contributions of the present paper include a generalisation of Belnap’s cut elimination metatheorem for display calculi, and a revised version of the display-style calculus D.EAK [30]. We verify that the revised version satisfies the previously mentioned proof-theoretic semantic principles, and show that it enjoys cut elimination as a consequence of the generalised metatheorem.

Canonical extensions for congruential logics with the deduction theorem

We introduce a new and general notion of canonical extension for algebras in the algebraic counterpart AlgS of any finitary and congruential logic S. This definition is logic-based rather than purely order-theoretic and is in general different from the definition of canonical extensions for monotone poset expansions, but the two definitions agree whenever the algebras in AlgS are based on lattices. As a case study on logics purely based on implication, we prove that the varieties of Hilbert and Tarski algebras are canonical in this new sense.

Sahlqvist theory for impossible worlds

We extend unified correspondence theory to Kripke frames with impossible worlds and their associated regular modal logics. These are logics the modal connectives of which are not required to be normal: only the weaker properties of additivity ◊x∨◊y=◊(x∨y) and multiplicativity □x∧□y=□(x∧y) are required. Conceptually, it has been argued that their lacking necessitation makes regular modal logics better suited than normal modal logics at the formalization of epistemic and deontic settings. From a technical viewpoint, regularity proves to be very natural and adequate for the treatment of algebraic canonicity Jonsson-style. Indeed, additivity and multiplicativity turn out to be key to extend Jonsson’s original proof of canonicity to the full Sahlqvist class of certain regular distributive modal logics naturally generalizing distributive modal logic. Most interestingly, additivity and multiplicativity are key to Jonsson-style canonicity also in the original (i.e. normal DML. Our contributions include: the definition of Sahlqvist inequalities for regular modal logics on a distributive lattice propositional base; the proof of their canonicity following Jonsson’s strategy; the adaptation of the algorithm ALBA to the setting of regular modal logics on two non-classical (distributive lattice and intuitionistic) bases; the proof that the adapted ALBA is guaranteed to succeed on a syntactically defined class which properly includes the Sahlqvist one; finally, the application of the previous results so as to obtain proofs, alternative to Kripke’s, of the strong completeness of Lemmon’s epistemic logics E2-E5 with respect to elementary classes of Kripke frames with impossible worlds.

Dual characterizations for finite lattices via correspondence theory for monotone modal logic

We establish a formal connection between algorithmic correspondence theory and certain dual characterization results for finite lattices, similar to Nations characterization of a hierarchy of pseudovarieties of finite lattices, progressively generalizing finite distributive lattices. This formal connection is mediated through monotone modal logic. Indeed, we adapt the correspondence algorithm ALBA to the setting of monotone modal logic, and we use a certain duality-induced encoding of finite lattices as monotone neighbourhood frames to translate lattice terms into formulas in monotone modal logic.

Epistemic Updates on Algebras

We develop the mathematical theory of epistemic updates with the tools of duality theory. We focus on the Logic of Epistemic Actions and Knowledge (EAK), introduced by Baltag-Moss- Solecki, without the common knowledge operator. We dually characterize the product update con- struction of EAK as a certain construction transforming the complex algebras associated with the given model into the complex algebra associated with the updated model. This dual characterization naturally generalizes to much wider classes of algebras, which include, but are not limited to, arbi- trary BAOs and arbitrary modal expansions of Heyting algebras (HAOs). As an application of this dual characterization, we axiomatize the intuitionistic analogue of the logic of epistemic knowledge and actions, which we refer to as IEAK, prove soundness and completeness of IEAK w.r.t. both alge- braic and relational models, and illustrate how IEAK encodes the reasoning of agents in a concrete epistemic scenario.

Jónsson-style canonicity for ALBA-inequalities

The theory of canonical extensions typically considers extensions of maps A→B to maps Aδ→Bδ. In the present article, the theory of canonical extensions of maps A→Bδ to maps Aδ→Bδ is developed, and is applied to obtain a new canonicity proof for those inequalities in the language of Distributive Modal Logic (DML) on which the algorithm ALBA [9] is successful.

Δ1-completions of a poset

A join-completion of a poset is a completion for which each element is obtainable as a supremum, or join, of elements from the original poset. It is well known that the join-completions of a poset are in one-to-one correspondence with the closure systems on the lattice of up-sets of the poset. A Δ1-completion of a poset is a completion for which, simultaneously, each element is obtainable as a join of meets of elements of the original poset and as a meet of joins of elements from the original poset. We show that Δ1-completions are in one-to-one correspondence with certain triples consisting of a closure system of down-sets of the poset, a closure system of up-sets of the poset, and a binary relation between these two systems. Certain Δ1-completions, which we call compact, may be described just by a collection of filters and a collection of ideals, taken as parameters. The compact Δ1-completions of a poset include its MacNeille completion and all its join- and all its meet-completions. These completions also include the canonical extension of the given poset, a completion that encodes the topological dual of the poset when it has one. Finally, we use our parametric description of Δ1-completions to compare the canonical extension to other compact Δ1-completions identifying its relative merits.

A Multi-type Calculus for Inquisitive Logic

In this paper, we define a multi-type calculus for inquisitive logic, which is sound, complete and enjoys Belnap-style cut-elimination and subformula property. Inquisitive logic is the logic of inquisitive semantics, a semantic framework developed by Groenendijk, Roelofsen and Ciardelli which captures both assertions and questions in natural language. Inquisitive logic adopts the so-called support semantics also known as team semantics. The Hilbert-style presentation of inquisitive logic is not closed under uniform substitution, and some axioms are sound only for a certain subclass of formulas, called flat formulas. This and other features make the quest for analytic calculi for this logic not straightforward. We develop a certain algebraic and order-theoretic analysis of the team semantics, which provides the guidelines for the design of a multi-type environment accounting for two domains of interpretation, for flat and for general formulas, as well as for their interaction. This multi-type environment in its turn provides the semantic environment for the multi-type calculus for inquisitive logic we introduce in this paper.