58勛圖

PY4669 Modal Logic and Metaphysics

Academic year

2026 to 2027 Semester 2

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

30

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 10

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Planned timetable

To be confirmed

This information is given as indicative. Timetable may change at short notice depending on room availability.

Module coordinator

Prof F Berto

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module Staff

Prof Franz Berto, Prof Greg Restall, Dr Alessandro Rossi

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

Mastery of modal logic is vital for logicians, philosophers of language, metaphysicians, philosophers of mind, epistemologists: such notions as content, supervenience, reduction, causation, knowledge, belief, information, as well as metaphysical, nomic and temporal necessity, can all be studied in the framework of modal logic. The single feature allowing modal logic to perform such tasks, is its semantics, phrased in terms of possible worlds. Possible worlds semantics is a success story of philosophy, having been exported to computer science, linguistics, economics, game theory. This module introduces students both to advanced first-order modal logic (e.g., lambda-abstraction for predicates, rigid, non-rigid and non-denoting terms, partial semantics, formal theories of descriptions), and to the philosophical issues raised by possible worlds semantics, ranging from the metaphysical status of worlds to the meaningfulness of quantification over non-actual individuals.

Relationship to other modules

Pre-requisites

BEFORE TAKING THIS MODULE YOU MUST PASS PY2010

Assessment pattern

Coursework = 20%, Examination = 80%

Re-assessment

Examination = 100%

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

1x 2 hour lecture, 1x 1 hour seminar

Scheduled learning hours

33

The number of compulsory student:staff contact hours over the period of the module.

Guided independent study hours

259

The number of hours that students are expected to invest in independent study over the period of the module.

Intended learning outcomes

  • Use advanced techniques from first-order modal logic.
  • Understand and apply possible worlds semantics.
  • Use their wide-ranging expertise in modal metaphysics.
  • Understand alternatives to standard modal logic, ranging from dynamic epistemic logic to relevance logic.
  • Produce papers of suitable quality in logic and metaphysics.