In defense of epistemic arithmetic
Epistemic Arithmetic, EA, adds an S4-like epistemic operator, \(K\), to classical first-order arithmetic. It is useful for the formalization of intuitionistic arithmetic, since first-order Heyting arithmetic, HA, can be faithfully translated into EA, and there hold some informal mathematical principles, such as especially Church's Thesis. This article defends EA against two philosophical objections. The first, due to Smoryński, is that EA fails to capture the full idea of effective methods so essential for intuitionistic mathematics. The second, due to Hazen, is that EA is contrary to intuitionism's anti-realism. Both are found wanting, chiefly on grounds that they ask too much of formalization. Here formalization is construed as a theory and so is to be judged by the virtues of any scientific theory. It should not be required that formalization preserve meaning in a strong sense. Beyond this, the article examines how Church's Thesis might be formulated in EA. Standard formulations can be shown to be inadequate, and whether a fully adequate formalization is possible remains an open question, though the author is optimistic. This may, however, require a higher-order epistemic theory, where much work remains to be done.
- Provability in principle and controversial constructivistic principles
- Epistemic independence in numerical possibility theory.
- A defense of temperate epistemic transparency
- Non-deterministic logic of informal provability has no finite characterization
- Empiricism, probability, and knowledge of arithmetic: a preliminary defense
- Modal-epistemic arithmetic and the problem of quantifying in
- The epistemic significance of numerals
- Closure of a priori knowability under a priori knowable material implication
- Epistemic arithmetic is a conservative extension of intuitionistic arithmetic
- scientific article; zbMATH DE number 3970744 (Why is no real title available?)
- Two Proof-Theoretic Remarks on EA + ECT
- Many-valued logic of informal provability: a non-deterministic strategy
- Epistemic predicates in the arithmetical context
- Reflecting in epistemic arithmetic
- Realizability semantics for quantified modal logic: generalizing Flagg's 1985 construction
- Epistemic entrenchment and arithmetical hierarchy
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