Skip to main content
Log in

Two dimensional Standard Deontic Logic [including a detailed analysis of the 1985 Jones–Pörn deontic logic system]

  • Published:
Synthese Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper offers a two dimensional variation of Standard Deontic Logic SDL, which we call 2SDL. Using 2SDL we can show that we can overcome many of the difficulties that SDL has in representing linguistic sets of Contrary-to-Duties (known as paradoxes) including the Chisholm, Ross, Good Samaritan and Forrester paradoxes. We note that many dimensional logics have been around since 1947, and so 2SDL could have been presented already in the 1970s. Better late than never! As a detailed case study illustrating the power of 2SDL, we examine the system DL of Deontic Logic of Andrew Jones and Ingmar Pörn offered in 1985 to solve the Chisholm paradox of Contrary to Duties. The critical examination is done using logics and methods available in 1985 and solutions are proposed using what was available in 1985.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aqvist, L. (1965). A new approach to the logical theory of interrogatives, Part I, Analysis. Philosophical Society and Department of Philosophy, University of Uppsala, Sect. 6.2.

  • Aqvist L. (1966) “Next” and “Ought”, alternative foundations for Von Wrights’s tense-logic, with an application to deontic logic. Logique et Analyse 9: 231–251

    Google Scholar 

  • Carmo J., Jones A. J. I. (2002) Deontic logic and contrary to duties. In: Gabbay D., Guenther F. (eds) Handbook of philosophical logic, 2nd ed. Springer, Heidelberg, pp 256–344

    Google Scholar 

  • Chellas B. F. (1980) Modal logic—an introduction. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Chisholm R.M. (1963) Contrary-to-duty imperatives and deontic logic. Analysis 24: 33–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Forrester J. W. (1984) Gentle murder, or the adverbial samartian. The Journal of Philosophy 81(4): 193–197

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gabbay D. (1970) Selective filtration in modal logics I. Theoria 36: 323–330

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gabbay D. (1974) Tense logics and the tenses of English. In: Moravcsik J. M. E. (Ed.) Readings in logic. Mouton Publishing Co., The Hague, pp 177–186

    Google Scholar 

  • Gabbay D. M. (1976a) Modal and tense logics. D Reidel, Dordrech

    Google Scholar 

  • Gabbay D. (1976b) Investigations in modal and tense logic with applications, Synthese Volume 92. D Reidel, Dordrech

    Google Scholar 

  • Gabbay, D. (2008a). Reactive Kripke semantics and arc accessibility. In A. Avron, N. Dershowitz, & A. Rabinovich (Eds.), Pillars of computer science: Essays dedicated to Boris (Boaz) Trakhtenbrot on the Occasion of His 85th Birthday (pp. 292–341). Lecture notes in computer science, Vol. 4800. Berlin: Springer-Verlag.

  • Gabbay D. M. (2008b) Reactive Kripke models and contrary-to-duty obligations. In: Meyden R., Torre L. (eds) DEON-2008, Deontic logic in computer science, LNAI 5076. Springer, Berlin, pp 155–173

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Gabbay, D. M. (2010). Reactive standard deontic logic. Draft, February.

  • Gabbay, D. (2011). Reactive Kripke models and contrary-to-duty obligations. Expanded version. Journal of Applied Logic. (to appear)

  • Gabbay D. M., Marcelino S. (2009) Modal logics of reactive frames. Studia Logica 93: 403–444

    Google Scholar 

  • Gabbay, D., & Schlechta, K. (2009). Critical analysis of the Carmo–Jones model of contrary-to-duty obligations. Draft paper 358.

  • Hansson S. O. (1989) A note on the Deontic System DL of Jones and Pörn. Synthese 80: 427–428

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones A. J. I. (1993) Towards a formal theory of defeasible deontic conditionals. Annals of Mathematics and Artificial Intelligence 9: 151–166

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones A.J.I., Pörn I. (1985) Ideality, sub-ideality and deontic logic. Synthese 65: 275–290

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones A.J.I., Pörn I. (1986) “Ought” and “must”. Synthese 66: 89–93

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones A. I. J., Pörn I. (1989) A rejoinder to Hansson. Synthese 80: 429–432

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones, A. J. I., & Pörn, I. (1991). On the logic of deontic conditionals. In J.-J. Ch. Meyer & R. J. Wieringa (Eds.) DEON91—Proceedings of Ist international workshop on deontic logic in computer science. Amsterdam.

  • Kamp H. (1971) Formal properties of ‘Now’. Theoria 37: 227–274

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kanger, S. (1971). New foundations for ethical theory, 1957. Reprinted In R. Hilpinen & D. Follesdal (Eds.), Deontic logic: Introductory and systematic readings (pp. 36–58). Dordrecht: D. Reidel.

  • Lewis D. (1970) Anselm and actuality. Nous 4: 175–188

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Loewer B., Belzer M. (1983) Dyadic deontic detachment. Synthese 54: 295–318

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prakken H., Sergot M. (1996) Contrary to duty obligations. Studia Logica 57: 91–115

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prior A. N. (1958) Escapism: The logical basis of ethics. In: Melden A. I. (Ed.) Essays in moral philosophy. University of Washington Press, Washington, pp 135–146

    Google Scholar 

  • Prior A. N. (1968) Now. Nous 2: 101–119

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reichenbach, H. (1947). Elements of symbolic logic. New York: McMillan. Republished, Free Press (1966).

  • Ross A. (1941) Imperatives and logic. Theoria 7: 53–71

    Google Scholar 

  • Segerberg K. (1967) On the logic of ‘Tomorrow’. Theoria 33: 46–52

    Google Scholar 

  • Segerberg K. (1973) Two-dimensional modal logic. Journal of Philosophical Logic 2: 77–96

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van der Torre L., Tan Y.-H. (1999) Contrary-to-duty reasoning with preference-based dyadic obligations. Annals of Mathematics and Artificial Intelligence 27: 49–78

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dov M. Gabbay.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

de Boer, M., Gabbay, D.M., Parent, X. et al. Two dimensional Standard Deontic Logic [including a detailed analysis of the 1985 Jones–Pörn deontic logic system]. Synthese 187, 623–660 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11229-010-9866-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11229-010-9866-4

Keywords

Navigation