alethic logic
- noun
- /əˈlɛθɪk ˈlɒdʒɪk/
- Formal
- Alethic logic examines statements about what is necessarily or possibly true.
Examples
-
Alethic logic is essential for understanding the concepts of necessity and possibility in philosophical discussions.
-
Courses on advanced logic frequently include a section on alethic logic.
-
Philosophers often use alethic logic to formalize modalities in arguments.
-
Alethic logic is fascinating.
-
Many people study alethic logic.
-
In her thesis, she analyzed how alethic logic applies to various theoretical frameworks in modern philosophy.
-
Students in the philosophy department are required to take a course on alethic logic to comprehend logical modalities.
Surface Forms
Morphology
This is a direct adjective+noun composition: 'alethic' (relating to truth) + 'logic' (the study of reasoning) yields 'logic concerning truth'. Although 'alethic' is a specialist term, if a learner already knows that adjective the compound meaning follows immediately and is predictable from its parts.
Etymology
Alethic logic comes from a Greek word for 'truth'. Imagine three doors: one says 'must' for things that must be true, one says 'may' for things that might be true, and one says 'may or may not' for things that are not fixed. That's why alethic logic means the study of necessity, possibility, and contingency.