Predicate metric tense logic for `now' and `then' (Q1947028)

The paper compares two tense logics: a metric tense logic that is originally due to Prior and a hybrid tense logic that is due to the author. The former is a tense logic in which the past and future operators \(P\) and \(F\) have an index representing a temporal distance, so that \(Pn\alpha\) means that \(\alpha\) was true \(n\)-much ago, and \(Fn\alpha\) means that \(\alpha\) will be true \(n\)-much hence. Its original numerical models are in terms of either integers, rationals or reals, where, e.g., the valuation of \(Fn\alpha\) at a time point \(t\) equals the valuation of \(\alpha\) at the time point defined by the interpretation of \(n\). This semantics is generalised to general metric models with functions `taking you forward' that are invertible, i.e., every forward-jumping function has an associated backward-jumping function. These functions interpret \(Pn\alpha\) and \(Fn\alpha\). The resulting general metric tense logic (GML) is axiomatised and it is proved that it embeds the author's hybrid tense logic, which has a binder operator \((\mathit{Ref }\mathbf{t})\) that binds the nominal \(t\) to the current time point. There are two small points in the truth conditions that may make the reading difficult for some: first, the condition [V\(P\)d] for GML should be \(V_\mu(Pn\alpha,t) = V_\mu(\alpha,{\mu(n)}^-(t))\) instead of \(V_\mu(Pn\alpha,t) = V_\mu(\alpha,\mu(n)-(t))\); second, in the condition [V\(_{[t]}\)] for Cresswell's hybrid tense logic, the `\(t\)' in \(V_\mu([\mathbf{t}]\alpha,t) = V_\mu(\alpha,\mu(\mathbf{t}))\) refers to is a time point that is \textit{not} the interpretation of \(\mathbf{t}\), contrarily to what may be understood from Footnote 12.