On modal terms (Q2522270)

Following certain ideal of the late Professor Jaśkowski the author of the paper under review makes use of `propositional variables with indices': \(\mathbf p_v\), \(\mathbf q_v,\ldots\) etc. If `\(\mathbf p\)' represents a proposition then `\(\mathbf p_v\)' represents the result of replacing nonlogical constants in `\(\mathbf p\)' by appropriate variables, with `\(r\)' Standing for the sequence of these variables. Thus `\(\mathbf p_v\)' can be said to represent the logical form of `\(\mathbf p\)'. The system \(\mathbf S\) proposed by the author is a system of the propositional calculus with quantifiers supplemented with Axiom I: \(\sum_p K\sum_v \mathbf p_v\sum_s N\mathbf p_v\), in which variables with indices occur and which is meant to say that there are propositions whose logical form yields true propositions for some values of the variables represented by `\(v\)' and false ones for some other values of the same variables. In addition to the usual rules of procedure the author has a special rule of substitution for variables with indices and another rule for omitting indices in certain specified circumstances. Three modal terms are introduced into \(\mathbf S\) by means of the following definitions: D1. \(EL\mathbf p \prod_v \mathbf p_v\); D2. \(EM\mathbf p \sum_v \mathbf p_v\); and D3. \(EW\mathbf p\mathbf q LC\mathbf p\mathbf q\). The author shows that Lewis's \(\mathbf S 5\) is provable in \(\mathbf S\). He also offers a decision procedure for modal expressions, and, finally, he outlines a modal system based on rules for introducing and eliminating modal terms as defined above, and proves, within its framework, the axiomatic foundations of Lewis's \(\mathbf S 1\).