The Use and Misuse of Proof Systems

Abstract

Proof systems, systems of axioms and inference rules, have a long history, going back to ancient times. Early on, they mainly occurred in mathematics, but nowadays they are also being used in other fields, such as computer science, linguistics, and philosophy. 

The way in which proof systems are used differs per area, which is why there exists a great variety of proof systems, each tailored for the specific application it is meant for. 

In this talk, Rosalie will discuss proof systems in general and address the topics above (no knowledge of proof systems is assumed). We will see settings for which the proof-theoretic view is well-suited, and others for which the proof-theoretic approach may not be the best method of investigation.

About the speaker

Rosalie Iemhoff is a proof theorist with a special interest in constructive theories and nonclassical logics. 

She studied mathematics and obtained her PhD in mathematical logic in 2001. 

After several years as a postdoc in the US and Austria, she obtained a position at the Department of Philosophy of Utrecht University, the Netherlands. 

She has received two big grants from the Dutch Science Foundation, which enabled her to carry out various research projects with a group of postdocs and PhD students. 

She has been editor-in-chief of the Journal of Philosophical Logic and currently serves on the editorial boards of the ASL book series Perspectives in Mathematical Logic and the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.

This event is part of the seminar series Women in Logic Online, hosted by the Programming Principles, Logic, and Verification Group at UCL Computer Science.