modal logic

This is the website for PHIL 452. Modal Logic (Fall 2025).

The electronic textbook for the course, Modal Logic, is available online. Further resources include: 

• Blackburn, de Rijke, and Venema. Modal Logic, Cambridge University Press, 2022.
• Cresswell and Hughes. A New Introduction to Modal Logic. Taylor & Francis, 1996.
  NB. Hughes and Cresswell use the symbol L for \(\Box\) and M for \(\Diamond\).

The schedule below includes links to lecture notes, problem sets, and other materials for the course.

Here is a google form you may use in order to sign up for a problem presentation.

Here are some guidelines for the final project.

schedule

date	topic	activities
	BACKGROUND
Mon 8/25	Relations
Wed 8/27	Induction and Recursion
Mon 9/1	University Holiday: Labor Day
Wed 9/3	Problem Session 1	Presentation
	PROPOSITIONAL LOGIC
Mon 9/8	Basic Language
Wed 9/10	Axiomatic Derivations	Written Solutions
Mon 9/15	The Deduction Theorem
Wed 9/17	Problem Session 2	Presentation
Mon 9/22	Completeness
	MODAL PROPOSITIONAL LOGIC
Wed 9/24	Basic Language	Written Solutions
Mon 9/29	Frames
Wed 10/1	Problem Session 3	Presentation
Mon 10/6	Frame Definability
Wed 10/8	Bisimulations	Written Solutions
Mon 10/13	Axiomatic Derivations
Wed 10/15	Problem Session 4	Presentation
Mon 10/20	Normal Modal Logics
Wed 10/22	Canonical Models	Written Solutions
Mon 10/27	Completeness
Wed 10/29	Problem Session 5	Presentation @ WPH 104
	SELECTED APPLICATIONS
Mon 11/3	Deontic Logic
Wed 11/5	Epistemic Logic: Knowledge	Written Solutions
Mon 11/10	Information Flow & Common Knowledge
Wed 11/12	Problem Session 6	Presentation
Mon 11/17	Conditionals	Project Proposal
Wed 11/19	Conditional Logic	Written Solutions
Mon 11/24	Sphere Models
Wed 11/26	Thanksgiving Break
Mon 12/1	Quantificational Modal Logic
Wed 12/3	Free Quantificational Modal Logic
Wed 12/10		Final Project Due