烧旺理性的火焰：对逻辑的个人体会.pdfVIP

StudiesinLogic,Vol.8, No. 1 (2015): 2–22 PII:1674-3202(2015)-01-0002-21 FanningtheFlames of Reason: APersonalViewof Logic Johanvan Benthem * InstituteforLogic, Language Computation, University of Amsterdam Departmenntof Philosophy,StanfordUniversity DepartmentofPhilosophy,TsinghuaUniversity johan.vanbenthem@uva.nl Abstract. Modern logic has the tools for becoming a broad science of reasoning and other information directed behavior that plays an important role in connecting the humanities, exact sciencesandsocialsciencesattheuniversity,andwhichispartofthebedrockofourinformation society. Thispaperisarevisedversionofavaledictorylecturedeliveredon26September2014 as a University Professor of Pure and Applied Logic in the main auditorium of the University of Amsterdam. It traces the history ofmodern logic,illustrates theemergenceofnew trendsin logicand agency,and discusses the mostimportantfuturechallengesfacingit. Arguments When people hear that you are a logician, their eyes start looking for thenearestexit. Butnowandthen,therearecreatureslikeme,whoseencounterwith logic changed their life. Already in high school, I liked rules and formulas, which I jotteddowninaspecialnotebook. AndwhenIarrivedattheUvAinitsrevolutionary 1960s, I loved to engage in argumentation about the future shape of Dutch society – tobedeterminedofcoursebyus,thestudentelite. Myargumentativeskillswerenot particularly successful, however, and I well remember the sinking feeling of slowly, butinexorablytalkingmyselfintoacornerwithanindefensibleclaim. Akindfellow studentadvisedmetobuyabookaboutlogic,andthatiswhat I did. 1 Reasoningpatterns WhatIboughtwasapocketeditionofa19thcenturyclassicby William Stanley Jevons, available on the internet today. And what