A Computational Solution to the Problem of Reference. This project will attack the core problem of philosophy of language by developing and applying tools from the theory of algorithmic complexity. Groundbreaking pure research at the intersection of logic, language, information and computation is the lifeblood of commercial research and development in information technology and telecommunications. The project will foster a cross-fertilisation of ideas between philosophy, computer science, math ....A Computational Solution to the Problem of Reference. This project will attack the core problem of philosophy of language by developing and applying tools from the theory of algorithmic complexity. Groundbreaking pure research at the intersection of logic, language, information and computation is the lifeblood of commercial research and development in information technology and telecommunications. The project will foster a cross-fertilisation of ideas between philosophy, computer science, mathematics, linguistics and psychology, and will provide students with skills and analytic techniques that will be valuable in future pure and applied research.Read moreRead less
Qualitative models of rationality: Philosophical foundations and applications. This project aims to establish the qualitative approach to rationality as a viable and attractive choice. Mathematical models of rationality, which aim to formalise the rules of good reasoning and decision making, traditionally assume that beliefs and desires are always given in precise, quantifiable degrees of confidence and value. This assumption is implausibly strong, and alternative, qualitative frameworks have be ....Qualitative models of rationality: Philosophical foundations and applications. This project aims to establish the qualitative approach to rationality as a viable and attractive choice. Mathematical models of rationality, which aim to formalise the rules of good reasoning and decision making, traditionally assume that beliefs and desires are always given in precise, quantifiable degrees of confidence and value. This assumption is implausibly strong, and alternative, qualitative frameworks have been developed to handle the frequent situations in which it fails. These, however, remain incomplete and their foundations poorly understood. The project will address their omissions, secure their conceptual underpinnings and use them to clarify and resolve long-standing philosophical problems.Read moreRead less
A Paraconsistent Approach to Vagueness. This project will utilise logical techniques that have been developed largely by Australian logicians. This techniques will be brought to bear on the problem of vagueness, one of the most important problems in the philosophy of logic. The project will thus greatly enhance Australia's already strong international reputation in logic and philosophical logic.
The geometry of impossible, or contradictory objects and its applications to computing and cognition. The principal aim is pure research, the increase of knowledge within the Theory of Inconsistency and particularly its mathematical aspects, to be available to the national and world community. Additionally, a new stock of hitherto-unseen images (still, moving and three-dimensional) will be constructed in a virtual reality environment. In addition to enhancing Australia's strong reputation in log ....The geometry of impossible, or contradictory objects and its applications to computing and cognition. The principal aim is pure research, the increase of knowledge within the Theory of Inconsistency and particularly its mathematical aspects, to be available to the national and world community. Additionally, a new stock of hitherto-unseen images (still, moving and three-dimensional) will be constructed in a virtual reality environment. In addition to enhancing Australia's strong reputation in logic, there are spin-offs for mathematics, cognitive science, computer studies, and the arts and entertainment industries.Read moreRead less
The One and the Many - the Path Through Contradiction. Australia has a major presence on the international philosophical world out of all proportion to its size (comparable to that which it has in sport). It is known for its development of radical new ideas and forthright approaches. One area in which this is particularly the case is logic and its philosophical applications. The present project is a high profile example of this, and will further enhance Australia's international intellectual p ....The One and the Many - the Path Through Contradiction. Australia has a major presence on the international philosophical world out of all proportion to its size (comparable to that which it has in sport). It is known for its development of radical new ideas and forthright approaches. One area in which this is particularly the case is logic and its philosophical applications. The present project is a high profile example of this, and will further enhance Australia's international intellectual profile.Read moreRead less
An Exploration of the Ramifications of the Re-conceptualization of Entailment. By revamping the field of deductive logic, the project will enhance the already solid international reputation Australia has in this area. The level of innovation in the work would set an example to other researchers and help to promote innovation in Australia. The project will provide more meaningful and accurate applications of logic in computer science, philosophy and mathematics, and engender smarter use of inform ....An Exploration of the Ramifications of the Re-conceptualization of Entailment. By revamping the field of deductive logic, the project will enhance the already solid international reputation Australia has in this area. The level of innovation in the work would set an example to other researchers and help to promote innovation in Australia. The project will provide more meaningful and accurate applications of logic in computer science, philosophy and mathematics, and engender smarter use of information. There would also be benefits to the teaching of logic in Australia, with the development of sharper analytical skills in students, and the project would lay the groundwork for a textbook on the new logic.Read moreRead less
Rationality and Resource Bounds in Logics for Intentional Attitudes. Formal philosophy is the discipline at the interface between traditional philosophy and modern mathematical logic. It has had a substantial impact in recent years and has benefited neighbouring disciplines, including computer science and artificial intelligence. It is a good example of how philosophical research can interact with more practical disciplines. This project will make substantial contributions to formal philosophy, ....Rationality and Resource Bounds in Logics for Intentional Attitudes. Formal philosophy is the discipline at the interface between traditional philosophy and modern mathematical logic. It has had a substantial impact in recent years and has benefited neighbouring disciplines, including computer science and artificial intelligence. It is a good example of how philosophical research can interact with more practical disciplines. This project will make substantial contributions to formal philosophy, which will in turn provide benefits in computer science and artificial intelligence, by providing a framework for logicians, computer scientists and researchers in artificial intelligence to discuss issues concerning knowledge, belief and rationality.Read moreRead less
The Logical Theories of Robert Kilwardby. The project is to produce a monograph on the logical theories of Robert Kilwardby (d. 1279) as they are expounded in his commentary on Aristotle's Prior Analytics, analyzing them from the perspective of modern logic. Kilwardby's commentary - which has not been critically edited, translated, or extensively studied - is remarkable for its fidelity to Aristotle's text, and its innovations in logical theory. This forms part of a larger project jointly with D ....The Logical Theories of Robert Kilwardby. The project is to produce a monograph on the logical theories of Robert Kilwardby (d. 1279) as they are expounded in his commentary on Aristotle's Prior Analytics, analyzing them from the perspective of modern logic. Kilwardby's commentary - which has not been critically edited, translated, or extensively studied - is remarkable for its fidelity to Aristotle's text, and its innovations in logical theory. This forms part of a larger project jointly with Dr Henrik Lagerlund (Uppsala University), to do a critical edition, historical introduction, and English translation of Kilwardby's commentary, together with the present logical analysis.Read moreRead less
Aristotle's Categories in the Byzantine, Arabic and Latin Traditions. High quality pure research is of national benefit because it adds to the depth of national culture and because it enhances our national profile overseas. When it involves collaboration with leading scholars at leading international universities, the enhancement is even greater. To understand the great religions that form part of our national identity, and their influence on philosophical thought, is of national benefit because ....Aristotle's Categories in the Byzantine, Arabic and Latin Traditions. High quality pure research is of national benefit because it adds to the depth of national culture and because it enhances our national profile overseas. When it involves collaboration with leading scholars at leading international universities, the enhancement is even greater. To understand the great religions that form part of our national identity, and their influence on philosophical thought, is of national benefit because it helps understand our place in today's world.Read moreRead less
Semantics, externalism and a priori truths. This project aims to discover more about the logical roots of a priori knowledge. Pure mathematicians and logicians discover truths which are not justified by inference from observations; philosophers traditionally have aspired to do likewise. Yet little is understood about what makes a priori knowledge possible. There is a growing branch of logic which studies what is known as "double indexing" and this promises to throw light on the a priori. Austral ....Semantics, externalism and a priori truths. This project aims to discover more about the logical roots of a priori knowledge. Pure mathematicians and logicians discover truths which are not justified by inference from observations; philosophers traditionally have aspired to do likewise. Yet little is understood about what makes a priori knowledge possible. There is a growing branch of logic which studies what is known as "double indexing" and this promises to throw light on the a priori. Australian philosophers have played a very salient role in the study of double indexing, and this project is well placed to make significant contributions in this area.Read moreRead less