From Carnap's Definition of Theoretical Terms to the Definition of Contexts of Evaluation

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Date: 20/11/2023

Time: 16h45 - 18h15

Meetings are usually held on Mondays from 16:45 to 18:15 in Raum 3F (D0313), 3. floor, Department of Philosophy

Abstract:

I develop a class of modal logics inspired by Hilbert's Epsilon Calculus and based on what I call 'epsilon modalities'. After presenting their formal properties, I show how these modalities can generalise Carnap's strategy of defining theoretical terms in scientific theories through epsilon terms. In this respect, epsilon modalities can be seen as denoting an arbitrary context of evaluation (if any) among those satisfying a certain formula. This means that a modal interpretation of Carnap's strategy similar to that of Andreas and Schiemer can be given at the level of the theory reconstruction. Finally, I show how the enhanced expressivity of the modal language allows for the representation of complex structures, with applications to the semantics of contemporary pragmatic reconstructions of scientific theories and to mathematical structuralism.