Formal Logic Research Articles

Newsmaking Criminology in the 21st Century: Forming the Public Opinion under the New Reality

Objective: to study the concept of newsmaking criminology and its relevance in the current conditions of mass media development.Methods: the methodological basis of the work consists of general scientific, social, and special-legal methods of cognition. The conducted research is based on the dialectical method (in determining the general direction of the study), methods of formal logic (analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, analogy), system method (in comparing and generalizing the information collected for the research).Results: the functions of newsmaking criminology in its classical manifestation, as well as its additional functions in the study of mass media in the Internet, were revealed. It is suggested that with the emergence of the World Wide Web, the relevance of newsmaking criminology has increased: social networks, blogs and video hosting as alternative media have a strong influence on public opinion, while an unlimited number of people have access to content generation, contrary to traditional media. Many states understand the importance of interaction between mass media and law enforcement agencies and are actively implementing their methods of promoting newsmaking criminology online. This article points out the risks that arise in media coverage of law enforcement and crime. One of such risks is the cancel culture, which is spontaneous, unpredictable in nature, and may jeopardize the quality of life of the victim or business reputation and activity of organizations.Scientific novelty: the functions performed by newsmaking criminology in the study of traditional and alternative media were identified. So far, such doctrine has not been sufficiently researched taking into account modern forms of mass communication. Examples of interaction between law enforcement agencies of different states and the media were analyzed.Practical significance: the study contributes to understanding the correlation between criminological phenomena and modern media platforms. The Internet and social networks provide new channels of information exchange that differ significantly from traditional media such as printed media or television.

On probabilistic and causal reasoning with summation operators

Abstract Ibeling et al. (2023, Annals of Pure and Applied Logic, 103339) axiomatize increasingly expressive languages of causation and probability, and Mossé et al. (2024, The Review of Symbolic Logic, 17, 106–131) show that reasoning (specifically the satisfiability problem) in each causal language is as difficult, from a computational complexity perspective, as reasoning in its merely probabilistic or ‘correlational’ counterpart. Introducing a summation operator to capture common devices that appear in applications—such as the $do$-calculus of Pearl (Causality. Cambridge University Press, 2009) for causal inference, which makes ample use of marginalization—van der Zander et al. (The hardness of reasoning about probabilities and causality. In Proceedings of the Thirty-Second International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence, IJCAI-23, E. Elkind, ed., pp. 5730–5738. International Joint Conferences on Artificial Intelligence Organization. Main Track. 2023) extend these earlier complexity results to causal and probabilistic languages with marginalization. We complete this extension, fully characterizing the complexity of probabilistic and causal reasoning with summation, demonstrating that these again remain equally difficult. Surprisingly, allowing free variables for random variable values results in a system that is undecidable, so long as the ranges of these random variables are unrestricted. We finally axiomatize these languages featuring marginalization (or more generally summation), resolving open questions posed by Ibeling et al. (2023, Annals of Pure and Applied Logic, 103339).

Extending Intensions: Exploring Deleuze and Guattari's Critique of Formal Logic in the Case of Intensional Logics

In What is Philosophy?, Deleuze and Guattari critique the relationship between formal logic and philosophy. They argue that since philosophy is the creation of concepts that are intensional, and formal logic reduces concepts to their extension, formal logic then has no special providence to decide philosophical questions. This may strike the logic-inclined philosopher as outdated given that there are now formal intensional logics designed to model meaning rather than reference. However, it will be shown that these logics too fail to express the concept in a way that preserves its philosophical import. Doing so requires contrasting Deleuze and Guattari's account of the concept with Frege's to show how the latter persists even in intensional logics in the form of mathematical functions that are ultimately referential. This then results in support for Deleuze and Guattari's claim that formal logic is a useful tool, but that it is incapable of adjudicating philosophical disputes.

Dynamic multi teacher knowledge distillation for semantic parsing in KBQA

Knowledge base question answering (KBQA) is an important task of extracting answers from a knowledge base by analyzing natural language questions. Semantic parsing methods convert natural language questions into executable logical forms to obtain answers on the knowledge base. Conventional approaches often prioritize singular logical forms, overlooking the distinct strengths inherent in various logical frameworks for problem solving. Recognizing that different logical forms may excel in addressing specific types of questions, our aim is to harness these strengths. By integrating the strengths of different logical forms, we expect to achieve more comprehensive and effective semantic parsing solutions. In our paper, we propose a Dynamic Multi Teacher Knowledge Distillation for Semantic Parsing (DMTKD-SP). DMTKD-SP leverages a collection of teacher models, each mastering a unique logical form, to collaboratively guide a student model so that knowledge from different logical forms can be transferred into the student model. To achieve this, we employ a confidence-based weight assignment module to dynamically assign weights for each teacher model. Furthermore, we introduce a self-distillation mechanism to mitigate the confusion caused by simultaneous learning from multiple teachers. We evaluate DMTKD-SP across variants of the KQA Pro dataset, demonstrating an accuracy improvement of 0.35% on five types of questions, with a notable 0.75% improvement for Count questions.

Matrix representation of the graph model for conflict resolution based on intuitionistic preferences with applications to trans-regional water resource conflicts in the Lancang–Mekong River Basin

With the continual growth in global demand for water resources, the governance of trans-regional water resources has become an important field of cooperation between countries, and conflicts caused by competition for water resources have become a focal issue in international relations. The root causes of trans-regional water resource conflicts include unclear ownership of water resources and the limited rationality of the parties involved. The water rights trading model has proven to play a stabilizing role in resolving trans-regional water resource conflicts versus the traditional negotiation model. To demonstrate the rationality and theoretical strength of the water rights trading model in allocating trans-regional water resources in uncertain environments, this paper proposes a novel matrix representation of intuitionistic stability definitions through a graph model for conflict resolution (GMCR). First, decision-makers’ (DMs’) intuitionistic preferences, unilateral movements, and intuitionistic unilateral improvements in a GMCR with two DMs are represented in a matrix. The joint unilateral movements and joint intuitionistic unilateral improvements for a coalition in a GMCR with multiple DMs are also represented. Next, according to the logical forms of intuitionistic stability definitions, four stability definitions in a GMCR with intuitionistic preferences were redefined to enable matrix representations of graph models with either two DMs or multiple DMs. Finally, we analyzed the state transitions and strategies of all stakeholders in trans-regional water resource conflicts in the Lancang-Mekong River Basin within the intuitionistic graph model. The contributions of this paper are twofold. First, in terms of theoretical research, this article enriches and develops the GMCR and proposes a set of definitions of matrix intuitionistic stability. Second, in terms of practical application, the intuitionistic stability analysis results can provide a reference for water rights trading to solve trans-regional water resource conflicts in uncertain environments and transform trans-regional water resource governance systems.

Fregean Aletheic Objectualism, the Flaw of False Assertion, and Truth as a Norm of Assertion

Gottlob Frege is an aletheic objectualist who regards truth as an object. For him, truth is the truth-value True, which is an object referred to by true sentences. Some interpreters argue that Frege’s claim that the True is an object is merely a byproduct of the technical features of his formal logic, Begriffsschrift. However, Frege’s works instead suggest that aletheic objectualism constitutes his philosophical position on the metaphysics of truth. Although Fregean aletheic objectualism may seem counterintuitive and unfruitful, it is, in fact, quite useful. Viewing truth as an object provides a new explanation for why there is a pro tanto reason to consider false assertion flawed. This explanation in turn strengthens support for the popular view that assertion is a norm-laden speech act.

What is the Principle of (Non-)Contradiction, Precisely? The Struggle at the Dawn of Formal Logic

The principle of contradiction, or non-contradiction, is traditionally included as one of the three fundamental principles of logic, together with the principle of identity and the principle of excluded middle. There is a consensus now regarding the shape of the principle of contradiction in modern formal logic. However, a deeper look at the history of its formulation reveals a much more complicated picture. We trace some of such developments from the beginning of the twentieth century when all sorts of formalisms were proposed, and even the name itself was up for debate. Our focal point is the proposals made by Christine Ladd-Franklin, which we describe against the background of other attempts at the time.

Cluster consensus of finite-field networks with stochastic communication topology

Most of the multi-agent systems (MASs) in real life are with limited storage and communication capabilities; studies on such systems, including consensus problem, however have been mainly based on real number field models. In this article, the cluster consensus problem of MASs with stochastic communication topology over finite-field known as the cluster consensus of finite-field networks (FFNs), is considered. Using the semi-tensor product of matrices, the dynamics of FFNs with stochastic communication topology are equivalently converted into a logical algebraic form, which facilitates further studies. Then a permutation system is introduced. The relationship between cluster consensus of FFNs with stochastic communication topology and the set stability with probability one (SSPO) of the permutation system is revealed. In such an approach, some verifiable criteria can be derived for the cluster consensus of FFNs with stochastic communication topology, without requesting the connectivity of the whole network. Finally, an example is presented to validate the main results.

Kant on the logical form of organized being

Kant on the logical form of organized being

Legal principles of pre-trial investigation war crimes

The modern legal principles of the activity of law enforcement agencies regarding the investigation of war crimes have been defined. It is emphasized that war crimes are complex in terms of their mechanism of commission, which is characterized by consequences in the form of significant destruction of civilian infrastructure objects, a large number of unidentified dead; instruments of commission, which neither pre-trial investigation bodies nor forensic experts have encountered before; by persons of criminals who change their locations, including those who are in the territory of another state, etc. It is noted that in Ukraine since the declaration of the legal regime of martial law by the Decree of the President of Ukraine, significant changes have taken place in the criminal procedural legislation, which established a special regime of pre-trial investigation and trial under martial law conditions, provided for in Section IX-1 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine. It is noted that the pre-trial investigation of war crimes requires considerable expenditure of resources, including human resources, due to which employees of various law enforcement agencies, including units of the National Police, are involved in carrying out certain procedural actions. Legal problems in the activities of the National Police of Ukraine regarding the organizational features of the pre-trial investigation that need to be resolved at the legislative and departmental levels are highlighted. Proposals are made to improve the legislation on the regulation of the term “war crime” in the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The requirements regarding the procedure for collecting evidence of war crimes for the purpose of further transfer of materials for consideration by the International Criminal Court have been updated. Attention is focused on the fact that the principles, subjects and forms of interaction at the national and international levels during the pre-trial investigation of war crimes should be properly regulated. During the writing of the article, the methods of dialectics, comparative legal and systemic analysis, and formal logic were used.

Area-driven Boolean bi-decomposition by function approximation

Bi-decomposition rewrites logic functions as the composition of simpler components. It is related to Boolean division, where a given function is rewritten as the product of a divisor and a quotient, but bi-decomposition can be defined for any Boolean operation of two operands. The key questions are how to find a good divisor and then how to compute the quotient. In this paper we select the divisor by approximation of the original function and then characterize by an incompletely specified function the full flexibility of the quotient for each binary operator. We target area-driven exact bi-decomposition and we apply it to the bi-decomposition of SOP forms. We report experiments that exhibit significant gains in literals of SOP forms when rewritten as bi-decompositions with respect to the product operator. This suggests the application of this framework to other logic forms and binary operations, both for exact and approximate implementations.

The Social Cults of Cinematic Gendered Violence: A Challenge and Transformation

The modern female rape–revenge cinema polarizes gender relations as it endorses a misandrist logic and brutal forms of reprisal. Wilson Harris, the British/Guyanese fiction writer and theorist, argues that these hypnotic forms of female-revenge media are social cults of violence that generate a conflict of gender. Using the film, I Spit on your Grave and Rihanna’s music video Man Down, this research demonstrates that the female-revenge mediascape is prime corollary to the promotion of misandry and violent vigilante justice. The film theories of Claire Henry, Hilary Neroni, and Jean Baudrillard will undergird the arguments of this research. The research methodology for this study employs a narrative analysis intersected with the lens of Wilson Harris’s shamanistic ontology of gender. The findings of this paper reveal that a shamanic vision of gender could therapeutically convert the psychical imprisonment of cinematic rape-revenge violence.

The life and entangled adventures of Schrödinger’s cat

Abstract This paper, intended for a general audience, contains a description of Erwin Schrödinger’s thought experiment which was designed to show the strange results of extending the formalism of quantum theory, particularly the idea of superposition, beyond the subatomic regime. A way of understanding superposition in the terms of formal logic is outlined. The development of Schrödinger’s ideas after this thought experiment is traced along with a brief description of some work which realises it in actual experiments, as well as proposals for taking it further.

Why Frege Did Not Plagiarize the Stoics: More on the Relationship Between Fregean and Stoic Logic

In this paper we give a detailed comparison of the key elements of Frege’s formal language of thought and apparently similar views in Stoic formal logic. That is, we compare their views on the following topics: connectives, negation, simple sentences, propositional content, predicates and their incompleteness, and quantifications. We show that in most of these cases the similarities between Frege’s views and the Stoic views are only superficial. Frege’s views are far more systematic, better developed and can in no case directly or fully be traced back to Stoic ideas. Furthermore, we show that Prantl, pace Bobzien 2021, is in most of these cases not a reliable source with respect to Stoic logic and that it is very unlikely that Frege’s views on logic were influenced by Prantl’s interpretation of Stoic formal logic.

A language-agnostic model of child language acquisition

This work reimplements a recent semantic bootstrapping child language acquisition (CLA) model, which was originally designed for English, and trains it to learn a new language: Hebrew. The model learns from pairs of utterances and logical forms as meaning representations, and acquires both syntax and word meanings simultaneously. The results show that the model mostly transfers to Hebrew, but that a number of factors, including the richer morphology in Hebrew, makes the learning slower and less robust. This suggests that a clear direction for future work is to enable the model to leverage the similarities between different word forms.

Banking Service Technologies as a Tool for Increasing the Efficiency of Interaction with Clients

Introduction. The efficiency of customer service in a commercial bank is inextricably linked with the need to implement modern banking technologies that affect the speed and quality of the service provided. The intensity of development of banking technologies requires a study of their features and application criteria. Purpose of the study. To study the trends in the implementation and development of modern technologies in banking and their impact on the quality of bank customer service. Methods. The study used such general scientific methods as analysis and synthesis, formal and dialectical logic, statistical processing methods, and a systems approach. The object of the study was Sberbank PJSC, a leader in the implementation of modern technologies in the banking market. Results. The article considers the main components of banking technologies. The influence of technologies on the effectiveness of banking services is substantiated. Positive and negative aspects of the implementation of modern banking technologies in the customer service process are highlighted. Modern service technologies used in the banking system when creating a digital infrastructure, regulated by the Central Bank, are highlighted. The trends in the use of modern banking technologies are considered based on the degree of digitalization development in the bank, age preferences, as well as as a result of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The performance indicators of Sberbank PJSC as a technological leader in the banking services market are considered. Conclusions. Effective interaction of banks with clients in the context of digital transformation is carried out using modern banking technologies containing many components with appropriate characteristics. Maximizing efforts to use modern technologies contributes to the expansion of the client base and profit growth.

НАВЧАЛЬНЕ ПРОГРАМУВАННЯ В КОНТЕКСТІ РЕФЛЕКСІЇ РОЗУМОВИХ ДІЙ ТА ЇХ ФОРМАЛІЗАЦІЯ ПРОГРАМНИМ КОДОМ

The paper examines the problem of improving programming learning through optimization of reflection accompanying the writing of software code. Reflection, as control of the logic of thinking, is an important mechanism of critical thinking in educational and professional activities. The purpose of this research is the formation of optimized, conceptual, concise schemes of reflection, which will allow to successfully cope with the tasks of educational practical programming. To realize the goal, an analysis of educational practical activities in programming was carried out in the context of their reflection on the example of creating a computer model of a simple physical phenomenon. The choice of programming as an activity for analyzing critical thinking reflection is due to the fact that this activity is well formalized. The essence of critical thinking reflection is revealed here in a refined and transparent form. Modeling gives the thinking process its own contrast, because in mental activity, in addition to algorithmic senses, additional physical ones also appear. Programming a model of a physical process here is a kind of research ground. Reflection is considered through the prism of cyclical mental processes in terms of formal logic with reference to the evolution of the structure of declarative knowledge. The final instance of this analysis was the formalization of reflection actions in laconic schemes, both the processes themselves and the structure of knowledge. An important part of the work is the connection of mental actions with the corresponding materialized activity. This relationship was also succinctly depicted on the corresponding diagram. The clear, short, expressive formalization of critical thinking actions presented in the work, in connection with materialistic actions, in laconic schemes could be used by education seekers to optimize learning and form protocols of abstract-logical and cause-and-effect thinking. The developed reflection schemes can be considered as a methodical means of learning that allows you to avoid cognitive traps and optimize educational activities both in the field of practical programming and in natural fields of knowledge, where practical actions to create or debug artificial objects of high complexity are expected.

When and Why the Doctrine of a “Rules-Based International Order” Emerged

INTRODUCTION. It is no understatement to say that the “rules-based international order” doctrine, as opposed to the “international order based on law”, has emerged as one of the most debated concepts in global politics during in the late ХХ and early ХХI centuries. This concept presents a framework where general rules of conduct for states, though not norms of jus cogens under general international law, are considered legally binding for all states and other participants in international relations. Consequently, it challenges the traditionally recognized supremacy of international law in governing these relations, seeking to erode established practices of international law-making. This doctrine is actively utilized by leading Western powers to substantiate their political positions and accuse strategic competitors of failing to adhere to these “rules” deemed as legally binding. Understanding the essence and origin of this doctrine is crucial in unraveling its significance. MATERIALS AND METHODS. The set of used methodological approaches encompass a range of general scientific and specialized methods, including historical analysis, formal logic, synthesis, as well as systemic and comparative legal methods.RESEARCH RESULTS. The research indicates that the doctrine of a rules-based international order entered international diplomatic discourse in the early 1990s, arising as a consequence of the collapse of the Soviet Union and the emergence of a unipolar world.DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS. The author reaches the conclusion that in the context of this emerging unipolarity, the United States deemed it appropriate to unilaterally (or at most in conjunction with its closest allies) dictate universally binding rules of conduct in international relations to the global community. The doctrine of a rules-based internation[1]al order provided the necessary scientific justification to validate such a policy. Initially, this doctrine garnered substantial support in international politics but subsequently faced a decline in its proponents, particularly with the shift towards a polycentric world order. While it continues to exist to some extent, the goals for which it was originally conceived have been largely nullified.

Совершенствование методико-криминалистического обеспечения расследования преступлений против семьи и несовершеннолетних на основе методов прогнозирования

Introduction. The data of official statistics of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the last 5 years reveal the growth of criminal encroachments on the interests of the family and minors, whose protection is the duty of the state, fixed in the Fundamental Law of the Russian Federation. Despite the measures being undertaken, the effectiveness of some of them, including those to ensure inevitability of punishment for a committed act, raises questions and proves the urgency of improving the work of law enforcement agencies in the detection, investigation and prevention of crimes against the family and minors. Methods. The methodological basis of the research was formed by general scientific and private-scientific methods of cognition: dialectical, formal logic (analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction), historical, systemic, comparative study, hermeneutic one and others. Results. On the basis of the analysis of scientific literature and questionnaire data of the preliminary investigation bodies’ staff, the author comes to the conclusion that the methodological recommendations on the investigation of certain types (groups) of crimes that are currently available in the investigative practice often contain gaps, and in some cases do not keep up with the transformation of criminal activity and, unfortunately, do not fulfil their function of providing practical units with the necessary methodological and forensic support. In order to solve the existing problems on counteraction to crimes against the family and minors, the author substantiates the necessity of using the methods of criminalistic forecasting in order to develop new techniques and improve the existing private methods of investigating crimes against the group under consideration.

Право на необходимую оборону при защите имущественных и личных неимущественных прав: иллюзорное или реальное

Introduction. By virtue of the provisions of Article 45 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, everyone is guaranteed the right to defend personal rights and freedoms in all ways not prohibited by law. This fundamental constitutional principle is reflected in Article 37 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (hereinafter referred to as the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation), which enshrines the right of any person to the necessary defence, that is, to harm (up to deprivation of life) an encroaching person while suppressing socially dangerous encroachments protecting oneself or other persons, the legally protected interests of society or the state. For a long time, the issue of the possibility of protecting property rights, including housing, within the framework of necessary defense remained debatable. Finally, in May 2022, amendments were made to the resolution of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation dated 09/27/2012 Nº 19, enshrining the right for necessary defense in the event of expected changes that will empower citizens to serve as a basis for their revision. In this regard, it should be recognised as relevant to consider the issue of determining the limits of lawful infliction of harm in the suppression of encroachments related to illegal penetration of housing. Within the framework of this work, the authors also consider the issue of determining the limits of lawful infliction of harm in defence against encroachments on personal non-property rights, both associated and not associated with the use or threat of use of violence dangerous to the life of the defender. Research methods: theoretical, comparativelegal, method of formal logics, method of interpretation of legal norms. Due to the results of the research, the authors give a list of situations which were not taken into account by the judicial community including the right to defend the house, which should serve as a basis for legal review of the case. In addition, the authors point to the need to optimize Article 37 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, the provisions of the resolution of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation dated September 27, 2012 No. 19 in terms of expanding the right for necessary defense due to the possibility of suppressing administrative offenses within its framework and bringing it into line with Article 37 of the Criminal Code, as well as other circumstances excluding criminality acts, «special legislation» defining the procedure and grounds for the use of force and weapons by law enforcement officers.