Changing a semantics: opportunism or courage?

• Main Authors: Andréka, H, van Benthem, J. F. A. K, Bezhanishvili, N, Németi, I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 27-11-2014
• Subjects: Mathematics - Logic
• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.1411.7636

In: The life and work of Leon Henkin. Essays on his contributions.
Editors: Maria Manzano, Ildiko Sain and Enrique Alonso., Studies in Universal
Logic, Springer, 2014, pp.307-337 The generalized models for higher-order logics introduced by Leon Henkin, and
their multiple offspring over the years, have become a standard tool in many
areas of logic. Even so, discussion has persisted about their technical status,
and perhaps even their conceptual legitimacy. This paper gives a systematic
view of generalized model techniques, discusses what they mean in mathematical
and philosophical terms, and presents a few technical themes and results about
their role in algebraic representation, calibrating provability, lowering
complexity, understanding fixed-point logics, and achieving set-theoretic
absoluteness. We also show how thinking about Henkin's approach to semantics of
logical systems in this generality can yield new results, dispelling the
impression of adhocness. This paper is dedicated to Leon Henkin, a deep
logician who has changed the way we all work, while also being an always open,
modest, and encouraging colleague and friend.