K. Pkhakadze, R. Asatiani, M. Ivanishvili

(Tbilisi State University)

pkhakadz@viam.hepi.edu.ge

Logic of Language and Paradoxes

From the simplified formal point of view the natural language is a set of words. We consider the word as a well formed expression of natural language. Let us assume that W is a language i.e. W is a set of words. Logical-semantical analysis of language show that from W we can separate the w subset of the basic words of this language. We call the elements of W-w set as non-basic or definable or contracted words of the language, e.g. “I lie” is a non-basic word, because “I lie” means “I say something (A) and I know that this something (A) is not true”. The formal-logical description of the natural language shows us that “I lie” must be regarded as 1-placed operator which operates on l type words and gives l type words. This means that “I lie” is l→l type word and its meaning is the truth scheme. So, to define it as true or false is absurd and gives the paradox.

Very briefly about that groundings by which we think that it is possible to organize the natural language mathematically according to the strong formal-logical requirements.

Let us assume To is a formal theory and L(To) is its language which consists of s1n1,…, sknk basic words and  1,  2 ,… symbols. Among the s1n1,…, sknk at least  one is 0-place basic word.

Definition: The expression (ska1ak)n is called n-place word (n³0) if ai is a word or ai is – j (jÎ1, n) and if any ¢j¢ (jÎ1, n) has at least one occurrence in (ska1ak)n.

Definition: I(To) is an interpretation of To theory if it is a consistent (non-contradictional) /\-set of (aka1ak)o = a type expresssions, where (aka1ak)o is      a 0-placed word of L(To) language and a is either t or f. I(To) is complete if any        0-placed word of L(To) language is interpreted within I(To).

In any complete I(To) interpretation any 0-placed word has its own truth value. In the non-complete I(To) interpretations the truth value of some 0-placed words is i (indefinite). This means that we are in such interpretation world that we do not know strictly the truth value of this word, although we know that 0-placed word in this interpretation is either t or f.

Now, let us assume that T1 theory is derived from To theory by its extension through new non-basic i.e. contracted P1n1 word according to the following d1 contracting rule

d1: P1n1 1 … – n1 ––– (W(To)) n1

(Here P1n1 is knew n1-place word-operator and (W(To)) n1 is any n-place word of To theory. The meaning of the symbol “–––” is “formally means”. This symbol together with the d1 rule can be regarded as the bridge between the To and T1 theories.) Analogously d2 contracting rule gives T2 theory from T1 theory and so on we can receive new extended Tk+1 theory from the previous Tk theory by the dk+1 contracting rule.

    De|(W(Tk))n| is the designation of the reduction of (W(Tk))n word of Tk theory into Te theory. Such reduction is a result of step by step exlusion of new non-basic contracted Pknk ,…, Pe+1ne+1 words, which is made according to the dk…dk+1 rules.

It is clear that De|W(Tk)n| is n-placed word of Te theory.

R a1an (W(Tk))n (Rea1an (W(Tk))n is derived by the replacement of ai (De|ai|) word within (W(Tk))n (De|(W(Tk))n|) instead of – i symbol.

It is proved, that

Rea1an(W(Tk))n =. De|Ra1an(W(Tk))n| = RDe|a1|…De|an|De|(W(Tk))n|.

By {£. (W(Tk))n}em we marked the set of all m-place specific cases of (W(Tk))n word in Te theory. It is clear, that elements of {£. (W(Tk))n}00 are R0a10an0(W(Tk))n type expressions.

Above we have mentioned in a simplified form some methods and ideas of notation theory.

In the article are proved that if T0 theory is non-contradictional then non-contradictional is any Tk theory which is formed according above mentioned rules.

Moreover: if within Tk theory we make an assumption that (W(Tk))0 = a(aÎ{t,f}) and as a result we received contradictional statement, we can conclude (in a storing formal sense) that (W(Tk))0 = a is proved.

Consequently, we conclude that by suggested formal way it is possible to build Hilbertian non-contradictional and non-paradoxical formalizm.

We distinguish A«ùA and A–ùA expressions. The former is trivial contradictional logical schemes. The later is considered as the trivial paradoxical scheme. We think that any paradox can be reduced directly or indirectly to the trivial paradoxical scheme*. Even if it rised on the base of contradictional pseudo-basic theory**. By our point of view the theory is (really) basic (i.e. non-pseudo-basic) if its interpretable symbols get their value in any interpretation separately of each other. Therefore, (really) basic theory in any interpretation gives non-contradictional theory. So, if the theory is contradictional it cannot be basic!

The question how and when it is possible to reduce the pseudo-basic theory to the basic theory is an important mathematical question. We suppose that for the natural language as a formal theory we can find its basic theory.

Let us assume that d: A – B rule defines some C new word in A expression (B is a word (form) of the T theory). This C word put T theory into new Tc theory if {£. A}oTc and {£. B} oTc sets consist of contral expressions (P and ùP is general face of contral expression) i.e. if {£. A} oTc Çù {£. B} oTc ¹ Æ then Tc theory is paradoxical and the reason of this paradoxizm is the abovemantioned d: A – B  rule. Such situtaion observed in Russel’s paradox. Russel’s R set is defined as new word by rule – 1 Î R ––1 Ï1. This rule take us from T theory into TR theory, where RÎRÎ{£.  (– 1 Î R)} and RÏRÎ{£.  (– 1Ï1)}. So, under any interpretation of the meanings of R and Î symbols if Ï simbol is defined as – 1Ï 2 ––– ù(– 1Î 2) then we have TR paradoxical theory. Analogous reason exists in Greling’s semantic paradoxes but there are violated also other rule of  the logic of language similarly to lie-paradox.

** Assume, To is pseudo-basic theory, L(To) = {s11 , s21 , ao, bo} and (s11 ao)«(s21 bo) is restriction axiom of this pseudotheory. Then due to sk1ao ––– sk1bo rule ({k,k} = {1,2}) To pseudo-basic theory reduced on Tk basic theory (in this case in To theory sk1 is partly contracted symbol it means that sk1 in To theory is partly briefly interpreted symbol).

Thus we think that the above mentioned formal way which are made on the bases of Frege’s compositional principle and notation theory seems to be affective for a formal-logical representation of natural language, where Rassell’s type theory plays an important role. 

                                               Reference

1.    Bentem J, Essays on Logical Semantics, 1997; Logic and Language, Handbook, 1998.

2.    Frege G, Beguffsschrift, 1879.

3.    Russel B, The Principles of Mathematics, 1938; Ludwig Wittgenstein, 1951.

4.     Wievtbicka A, Semantics Primes and Universals, Oxford University, Press, 1996.

5.     Wittgenstein L, Note books, 1914-1916, 1961.

6.    Ãèëüáåðò Ä, Òåîðèÿ äîêàçàòåëüñòâ, 1972.

7.    Ïõàêàäçå Ø, Íåêîòîðûå âîïðîñû òåîðèé îáîçíà÷åíèé, 1978.

 

.

HOME