Speaker: Graham Priest (CUNY)

Time: 2025/06/03 (Tuesday) 15:10-18:00

Location: Room 215, Natural ​Sciences Teaching Building (理教), Peking University

Talk 1：Can Buddhist and Jain Logic be Seen as Forerunners of Modern Paraconsistent Logic?

Abstract:

In this talk, I will argue that, in a certain sense, Buddhist and Jain logic can be seen as forerunners of some paraconsistent logics. Specifically, the Buddhist catuṣkoṭị prefigures the logic of First Degree Entailment; and the Jain saptabhaṇḡi prefigures a 3-valued plurivalient logic.

Talk 2：Jaśkowski and the Jains

Abstract:

In 1948 Jaśkowski introduced the first discussive logic. The main technical idea was to take what holds to be what is true at some possible world. Some 2,000 years earlier, Jain philosophers had advocated a similar idea, in their doctrine of syādvāda. Of course, these philosophers had no knowledge of contemporary logical notions; but the techniques pioneered by Jaśkowski can be deployed to make the Jain ideas mathematically precise. Moreover, Jain ideas suggest a new family of many-valued discussive logics. In this talk, I will explain all these matters.