Fwd: Call for Papers: Synthese Topical Collection "Anti-Exceptionalism about Logic"

[Joao Marcos]

---------- Forwarded message ---------

Call for Papers
Topical Collection: Anti-Exceptionalism about Logic
Synthese
(deadline 31/10/2020)

Guest Editors: Filippo Ferrari (University of Padua), Ben Martin
(University of Bergen), Maria Paola Sforza Fogliani (School for
Advanced Studies IUSS Pavia)

Topical Collection Description:

The historical consensus seems to be that logic is somehow special.
Whereas empirical evidence is used to support theories within both the
natural and social sciences, logic answers solely to a priori
evidence. Further, unlike other areas of research that rely upon a
priori evidence, such as mathematics, logical evidence is basic. While
we can assume the validity of certain inferences in order to establish
truths within mathematics and test scientific theories, logicians
cannot use results from mathematics or the empirical sciences without
seemingly begging the question. Further, unlike theories in other
domains, which are about particular objects (however general these
theories are), logical theories lack such content, and thus are wholly
formal. Additionally, unlike scientific theories, which describe how
the world is, logical theories do not merely describe some state of
affairs, such as how we do reason, but provide a normative theory,
about how we ought to reason. Anti-exceptionalism about logic (AEL) is
the denial of at least one of these traditionally exceptional
properties of logic: that it is purely formal, has normative force,
and that logical evidence is both foundational and a priori.

Our hope is that this Topical Collection advances the area of
research, concentrating particularly on four important themes:

Properties of Logic. AEL proposes that logic fails to possess a series
of properties that have traditionally been taken to make logic
special, such as its laws being formal and general, logical evidence
being a priori and foundational, and its theories having normative
force regarding how we ought to reason. This articulation of the
position itself raises important questions: i) What is the
relationship between these properties in the context of AEL? ii) Is it
really the case that these properties have prominently been assigned
to logic and – if so – how should we understand them, exactly? iii)
Does one’s commitment to AEL commit one to other important positions
within the philosophy of logic (e.g. logical pluralism)?

Logical Methodology. One of the prominent claims by AEL is that the
methodology of logic is similar to the methodology of the sciences.
Such an account is often explained in terms of abductive criteria,
where logical theories are evaluated on their basis to accommodate
some relevant data, and possess certain theoretical virtues. However:
i) What data is there for logical theories to accommodate? ii) What
theoretical virtues are logical theories to possess? iii) Are
scientific theories chosen by such abductive criteria, as AEL
proposes?

Metaphysics of Logic. Another important claim made by AEL is that the
subject matter of logic is similar, in some crucial respects, to that
of the sciences. How should we understand this claim? For example, is
there a particular subject matter in the sciences such as that logic
could share in this matter? Further, by proposing that logic has a
subject matter similar to the sciences, is AEL committed to taking on
an ontology of logic?

Objections. While a significant number of papers have now been written
outlining AEL in different forms, little has been written on the
challenges facing the position. What are the significant problems
facing different versions of AEL in their rejection of these putative
‘exceptional’ properties of logic?

Instructions for submission: in order to submit your paper to the
topical collection, please log in to the Synthese Editorial Manager
following this link:

https://www.editorialmanager.com/synt/default.aspx.

Once you are logged in, you'll be asked to specify the article type.
Please select the following option: T.C. : Anti-Exceptionalism about
logic (you'll find it near the end of the list). All the other steps
should be standard procedure.

The deadline for submission is 31st October 2020

For further information, please contact the guest editors using the
following email address: logicalantie...@gmail.com


Filippo Ferrari
Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology
University of Padua
Piazza Capitaniato 3
35139 Padua, Italy

Ben Martin
Department of Philosophy (FOF)
University of Bergen
Sydnesplassen 12-13
5007 Bergen, Norway

Maria Paola Sforza Fogliani
School for Advanced Studies IUSS Pavia
Palazzo del Broletto, Piazza della Vittoria 15
27100 Pavia, Italy