Concept
Dynamic epistemic logic
Overview
Dynamic epistemic logic (DEL) is a logical framework dealing with knowledge and information change. Typically, DEL focuses on situations involving multiple agents and studies how their knowledge changes when events occur. These events can change factual properties of the actual world (they are called ontic events): for example a red card is painted in blue. They can also bring about changes of knowledge without changing factual properties of the world (they are called epistemic events): for example, a card is revealed publicly (or privately) to be red. Originally, DEL focused on epistemic events. Only some of the basic ideas are present in this entry of the original DEL framework; more details about DEL in general can be found in the references.
Due to the nature of its object of study and its abstract approach, DEL is related and has applications to numerous research areas, such as computer science (artificial intelligence), philosophy (formal epistemology), economics (game theory) and cognitive science. In computer science, DEL is for example very much related to multi-agent systems, which are systems where multiple intelligent agents interact and exchange information.
As a combination of dynamic logic and epistemic logic, dynamic epistemic logic is a young field of research. It really started in 1989 with Plaza's logic of public announcement. Independently, Gerbrandy and Groeneveld proposed a system dealing moreover with private announcement and that was inspired by the work of Veltman. Another system was proposed by van Ditmarsch whose main inspiration was the Cluedo game. But the most influential and original system was the system proposed by Baltag, Moss and Solecki. This system can deal with all the types of situations studied in the works above and its underlying methodology is conceptually grounded. This entry will present some of its basic ideas.
Formally, DEL extends ordinary epistemic logic by the inclusion of event models to describe actions, and a product update operator that defines how epistemic models are updated as the consequence of executing actions described through event models. Epistemic logic will first be recalled. Then, actions and events will enter into the picture and we will introduce the DEL framework.
Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).
Possible passages
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And even in this, the will is determined by the law of motives, in accordance with which it also secretly rules what is called the association of ideas, to which I have devoted a separate chapter (the 14th) in the second volume of my chief work. This association of ideas is itself nothing but the application of the Principle of Sufficient Reason in its four forms to the subjective train of thought; that is, to the…
Arthur Schopenhauer, On the Fourfold Root of the Principle of Sufficient Reason, and On the Will in Nature
States what Dynamic epistemic logic is; the author is tied to Dynamic epistemic logic in the knowledge graph.
We know that _multiplicity_ in general is necessarily conditioned by space and time, and is only thinkable in them. In this respect they are called the _principium individuationis_. But we have found that space and time are forms of the principle of sufficient reason. In this principle all our knowledge _a priori_ is expressed, but, as we showed above, this _a priori_ knowledge, as such, only applies to the…
Arthur Schopenhauer, The World as Will and Idea
States what Dynamic epistemic logic is; the author is tied to Dynamic epistemic logic in the knowledge graph.
Consequently he is likely to set the attitude which has place and significance only in one of the serial functional situations of experience over against the active attitude which describes part of the structural constitution of another situation; or with equal lack of justification to assimilate materials characteristic of different stages to one another. He sets the agent, as he is found in the intimacy of love or…
John Dewey, Essays in Experimental Logic
States what Dynamic epistemic logic is.
Related ideas
- Artificial intelligence
- Finite set
- Game theory
- Tuple
- Philosophy
- Computability theory
- Truth value
- Jaakko Hintikka
- Propositional logic
- Function (mathematics)
- Reflexive relation
- Augustine of Hippo
- Plato
- Rule of inference
- Soundness
- Event (philosophy)
- Aristotle
- Theorem
- Completeness (logic)
- Theoretical computer science
- Modal logic
- Baruch Spinoza
- David Lewis (philosopher)
- Time complexity
Place in the tradition
Part of Epistemic modal logic.