Protoalgebraic logics (Q6364601)

This paper presupposes familiarity with universal algebra. Fortunately, the authors are considerate of their readers by motivating the problems, carefully defining notation and concepts, and giving considerable details in proofs. The metatheory of an algebraic logic can be reduced to the equational metatheory of a class of algebras. For instance, the metatheories of the algebraic classical and intuitionistic logics are reducible to the equational metatheory of Boolean algebras and Heyting algebras. Several systems, including the non-normal modal logics, are not algebraic. The authors' goal is to extend the use of universal algebra to non-algebraic logics. So, they characterize a much broader class of logics called protoalgebraic. Universal algebra applies to the matrix models of protoalgebraic logics. They focus on the following kinds of problems. Let AF be the valid formulas on a finite matrix model M for protoalgebraic logic L. Can AF be finitely axiomatized? Does AF have only finitely many extensions? The authors show that if L is filter- distributive protoalgebraic with only finitely many inference rules the answers to both questions is 'Yes.'