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Computer Verification for Historians of Philosophy

Elkind, Landon (2022) Computer Verification for Historians of Philosophy. [Preprint]

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Abstract

Interactive theorem provers might seem particularly impractical in the history of philosophy. Journal articles in this discipline are generally not formalized. Interactive theorem provers involve a learning curve for which the payoffs might seem minimal. In this article I argue that interactive theorem provers have already demonstrated their potential as a useful tool for historians of philosophy; I do this by highlighting examples of work where this has already been done. Further, I argue that interactive theorem provers can continue to be useful tools for historians of philosophy in the future; this claim is defended through a more conceptual analysis of what historians of philosophy do that identifies argument reconstruction as a core activity of such practitioners. It is then shown that interactive theorem provers can assist in this core practice by a description of what interactive theorem provers are and can do. If this is right, then computer verification for historians of philosophy is in the offing.


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Item Type: Preprint
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
Elkind, Landonlandon.elkind@wku.edu0000-0003-0513-2937
Additional Information: Forthcoming in Synthese, Topical Collection: Metaphilosophy of Formal Methods
Keywords: Formal methods; Formalization; History of philosophy; Interactive theorem provers; Metaphilosophy
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Mathematics > History of Philosophy
Specific Sciences > Mathematics > Methodology
Specific Sciences > Mathematics > Practice
Depositing User: Dr. Landon Elkind
Date Deposited: 27 Mar 2022 19:03
Last Modified: 27 Mar 2022 19:03
Item ID: 20398
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Mathematics > History of Philosophy
Specific Sciences > Mathematics > Methodology
Specific Sciences > Mathematics > Practice
Date: 25 March 2022
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/20398

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