PY5669 Modal Logic and Metaphysics

Academic year

2026 to 2027 Semester 2

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

20

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 11

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Availability restrictions

Open only to Philosophy MLitt students, and subject to approval by the MLitt programme director

Planned timetable

To be confirmed

This information is given as indicative. Timetable may change at short notice depending on room availability.

Module coordinator

Prof F Berto

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module Staff

Prof Franz Berto

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

Mastery of modal logic is vital for logicians, philosophers of language, metaphysicians, philosophers of mind, epistemologists: such notions as content, supervenience, reduction, causation, knowledge, belief, information, as well as metaphysical, nomic and temporal necessity, can all be studied in the framework of modal logic. The single feature allowing modal logic to perform such tasks, is its semantics, phrased in terms of possible worlds. Possible worlds semantics is a success story of philosophy, having been exported to computer science, linguistics, economics, game theory. This module introduces students both to advanced first-order modal logic (e.g., lambda-abstraction for predicates, rigid, non-rigid and non-denoting terms, partial semantics, formal theories of descriptions), and to the philosophical issues raised by possible worlds semantics, ranging from the metaphysical status of worlds to the meaningfulness of quantification over non-actual individuals.

Relationship to other modules

Anti-requisites

YOU CANNOT TAKE THIS MODULE IF YOU TAKE PY4669 OR PASS PY4669

Assessment pattern

20% coursework 80% exam

Re-assessment

100% exam

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

1 x 2 hour lecture (x11 weeks)

Scheduled learning hours

22

The number of compulsory student:staff contact hours over the period of the module.

Guided independent study hours

182

The number of hours that students are expected to invest in independent study over the period of the module.

Intended learning outcomes

  • Use advanced techniques from first-order modal logic.
  • Understand advanced philosophical and technical issues in possible worlds semantics
  • Apply their advanced mastery of extensions and alternatives to standard modal logic such as dynamic epistemic logic, relevance logic and multi-modal logics
  • Apply their understanding of modal logic to current issues in modal metaphysics