Speakpigeon wrote: ↑Thu Apr 18, 2019 11:31 am
Do you know of any proper justification by any specialist of mathematical logic, e.g. mathematicians, philosophers and computer scientists, that the definition of logical validity used in mathematical logic since the beginning of the 20th century would be the correct one?
Here is the definition:
Validity
A deductive argument is said to be valid if and only if it takes a form that makes it impossible for the premises to be true and the conclusion nevertheless to be false.
Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy -
https://www.iep.utm.edu/val-snd/
Thanks for your answers.
EB
"Validity" is about expressing that logic is a type of machine that doesn't literally express the necessary truth of the data it uses with respect to the outside world of that machine, but that it only "lets pass" output data dependent upon the input data in a strict way. As such, 'validity' by that definition suffices to express that the conclusions that get through the
machines we call 'logical' are those that have fixed unique conclusions such that IF the inputs exist as 'true' of the outside world, the unique output(s) are expected to be 'true' as a conclusion when reinterpreted to be about the outside world.
For example, a hand-held calculator is a 'logic' system itself. The 'input' we use is artificial data with respect to the calculator but has a strict output dependent on it such that IF the data we put into it is 'fit' to the reality we are using that calculator for, the output, when translated back into a reference to reality, is true. As an instance, if the reality I am using the calculator for is about trying to add two real prices and determine the total with any added taxes, the machine is only as trustworthy to be useful to the real world if that calculator's outputs 'fit' to the reality of its inputs.
The old adage, "garbage in/garbage out" [GIGO] for computers is identical to this meaning. In other words, once we design the calculator and determine its means to add and multiply, etc, we have to assume the machine itself is not what can make any errors if it 'functions' as it is expected to but that any errors that exist, must lie in the user only.
"Validity" IS 'truth' about the process (the calculator or computer or devices' function).
We CAN and DO try to find machines that can determine the truth of the data too. But when we think of nature, EACH datum is itself its own
machine. In this way, as I interpret it, reality operates as both data and machines relative to each other. But we want the term, "logic" to represent only the 'ordered' patterns that define a determinate "function". We can use these functions to express relationships that are more complex. But we want to distinguish those mechanisms of thought that are 'ordered' versus the totality of all thought, which can be of any possible
machine whether fixed or random. That is, we want to eliminate those machines/mechanisms of thought that lack a consistent pattern, even though those machines DO exist.
An example of this within math is to think of the 'function' of some unique input to the variables to provide a strictly unique outcome. We can then use functions to describe complex realities (relations) 'piece-wise' or in parallel. For example, a circle in the Cartesian plane is defined BY two functions:
y = square-root-function of (x^2 - r^2) AND the separate function, the negative-square-root-function of (x^2 - r^2).
These are two functions that collectively define the real concept of a circle. In essence, each function is its own 'logic' machine and alone cannot answer all of the reality we desire. We can define the collection of the two 'functions' (two logics) as a
machine but then specify that this machine is a 'relation' but not a 'function'.
In the same way, we can have any process of thought that takes any number of inputs that provides one specific outcome, as a "logic". Since there are real mechanisms of thought that are more complexly able to output MORE THAN ONE output, we want 'determinate' outcomes for that regardless. These can still be defined using multiple logic functions. But if we use machines of thought for ANY number of outputs indeterminately, while 'true' of nature, we cannot make use of it to ORDER our thoughts.
So the definition of 'validity' IS the defining meaning of the logic, and represents the VALUE of the expected output as being meaningful or not for us using this machine.