Logical Consequence
Jc Beall · 2005
Abstract This chapter explores the concept of logical consequence and defends logical pluralism. Logic, in the core tradition, involves the study of formal languages. However, the primary aim is to consider such languages as interpreted: languages which may be used either directly to make assertions and denials, or to analyse natural languages. Logic, whatever it is, must be a tool useful for the analysis of the inferential relationships between premises and conclusions expressed in arguments actually employed. If a discipline does not manage this, it cannot claim to be logic in its traditional sense. Many different basic units of evaluation have been taken to be the components of arguments: assertions, judgements, claims, utterances, interpreted sentences, sentences in contexts-of-use and propositions have all been singled out as the right kinds of things for logic to take as its raw material. Three features of logical consequence are necessity, normativity, and formality.