FRONTIER TOPICS IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND PHILOSOPHY
The Topic for WinterSemester 24-25 is: Introduction to Formal Languages: Applications and Philosophical Questions
Tuesdays 14-16 c.t., Room U2/01.33
Course description
This lecture offers an accessible, step-by-step introduction to formal languages, requiring no prior knowledge or prerequisites. It is designed to equip students with fundamental skills in formal languages as well as an understanding of their role in philosophy, computer science, and linguistics. Formal languages are crucial to the efficient and precise communication of information, offering agility and clarity that surpass natural language, and allowing for information automation in computer. This makes the mastery of formal languages not just an intellectual pursuit but an important practical skill for future working philosophers, computer scientists, and linguists. In addition, formal languages are at the center of some of the most puzzling philosophical questions, for example about the limits of cognition, semantic paradoxes, or the existence of abstract objects.
Complementing the lecture is the seminar Classic Texts in Philosophy of Language (for students in Computer Science, the module name of the seminar is "Computational Philosophy"); it provides reading materials and examples on the topics of the course. The seminar is optional, but recommended.
Course plan: See "Course Description" PDF file in "Kurs"
Formal stuff
Languages: English and German
Open to: Students of Philosophy, Computer Science (Bachelor and Master), Computing in the Humanities, and Linguistics (including Foreign Languages)
Prerequisites: None. Having access to a laptop would be useful. The seminar Classic Texts in Philosophy of Language complements the lecture material and is therefore recommended but not obligatory.
Credits (ECTS): Philosophy Students: 2 ECTS (attendance) or 3 ECTS (attendance + exam). Computer Science Students (including CitH): 6 ECTS. Linguistics Students: 2 ECTS.
Lecture Validation: Philosophy Students: Final exam (Klausur). Computer Science Students (including CitH): Final exam (Klausur) + short abstract from tutorials. Tutorials will be scheduled for Computer Science students. Linguistics Students: In general, no requirement but regular attendance is strongly recommended. For special cases, e.g. Consolidation Module in English Linguistics, please contact the Professors about an oral exam.
Dates, deadlines, and appointments:
Semester dates: 14.10.2024 - 7.02.2025 (NOTE: No class on 7.01.2025)
Exam date (Klausur): 11.02.2025, 14-16 c.t., Room U2/01.33
Consultations: To request a personal meeting, please write an email: silvia.jonas@uni-bamberg.de, andrea.vestrucci@uni-bamberg.de
- Moderator/in: Mika Jan Holstein
- Moderator/in: Silvia Jonas
- Moderator/in: Andrea Vestrucci
Knowledge representation and reasoning applications in computer science, AI, philosophy and math typically employ very different logic formalisms. Instead of a "single logic that serves it all" (as envisioned already by Leibniz) an entire "logic zoo" has been developed, in particular, during the last century. Logics in this zoo, e.g., include modal logics, conditional logics, deontic logics, multi-valued logics, temporal logics, dynamic logics, hybrid logics, etc. In this lecture course we will introduce, discuss and apply a metalogical approach to universal logical reasoning that addresses this logical pluralism. The core messageis this: While it might not be possible to come up with a universal object logic as envisioned by Leibniz, it might in fact be possible to have a universal meta logic in which we can semantically model, analyse and
apply various species from the logic zoo. Classical higher order logic (HOL) appears particularly suited to serve as such a universal meta logic, and existing reasoning tools for HOL can fruitfully be reused and applied in this context.
Lernziele/Kompetenzen:
The participants of this course will, in combination with a hands-on introduction to Isabelle/HOL, learn about HOL, about semantical embeddings (SSE technique) of non-classical logics in HOL, and about proof automation of these logics in Isabelle/HOL. They will conduct practical exercises regarding the application of the SSE technique in philosophy, mathematics or artificial intelligence, including, normative reasoning and machine ethics.
Empfohlene Vorkenntnisse: Basic knowledge about classical and non-classical logics, theoretical computer science
- Moderator/in: Christoph Benzmüller
- Moderator/in: David Fuenmayor Pelaez
- Moderator/in: Christoph Benzmüller
- Moderator/in: David Fuenmayor Pelaez
- Moderator/in: Christoph Benzmüller
- Moderator/in: David Fuenmayor Pelaez
- Moderator/in: Christoph Benzmüller
- Moderator/in: David Fuenmayor Pelaez
- Moderator/in: Christoph Benzmüller
- Moderator/in: David Fuenmayor Pelaez
This seminar covers selected topics from across the spectrum of interests of the AISE research group. These research activities lie at the intersection of artificial intelligence, philosophy, mathematics, computer science, and natural language and cover topics such as:
• mechanisation of normative reasoning and explanation in computers to develop trusted AI systems
• hybrid AI systems: automated reasoning, machine learning and agent-based architectures
• AI & ethics, AI & law
• rational argumentation
• universal logical reasoning
• logico-pluralistic knowledge representation and reasoning methodologis and infrastructures
• applications: e.g. in computational metaphysics (e.g., Gödel's ontological argument), machine ethics,
mathematical foundations (e.g., category theory)
• automated theorem proving (e.g. Leo theorem provers) and model finding
• interactive/automated theorem proving in research and education
Lernziele/Kompetenzen:
Participating students will be introduced to current research questions and papers from the AISE group's spectrum of interest. Students will explore, prepare and present a selected topic and acquire in depth knowledge about the involved research questions and challenges. Ideally, this work will lead to a subsequent topic for a thesis project. Presentations of research topics related to a running thesis project are also welcome. Students will learn to assess and review research papers and to prepare and present own papers.
Sonstige Informationen: The main language of instruction in this course is English.
In addition to the contributions by participating students there will presentations by PhD students and guest researchers.
Empfohlene Vorkenntnisse: Basic knowledge on AI, logic, theoretical computer science and
mathematics; background in theoretical philosophy may also be useful. Ideally participants have attended at least one prior course of the AISE group.
- Moderator/in: Christoph Benzmüller
- Moderator/in: David Fuenmayor Pelaez
Winter semester 2024/25, Tuesdays 16-18 c.t., Room U2/02.04
Language has a central place in our lives – we use it to communicate thoughts, emotions, and information to others – and because of its everyday use, language seems unproblematic to us. This seminar invites students not to take language for granted. We will read and discuss classic texts from the philosophy of language, get to know the core topics of the field, and discuss how these questions apply to current questions such as:
• How can strings of symbols (called ‘words’ and ‘sentences’) have a meaning?
• Do machines – like ChatGPT – process language as we humans do?
• What are the boundaries of language, and is there something that language cannot express?
This seminar introduces students to recent debates on the meaning, function, and limits of language as well as on its relevance in our understanding of the world. All texts will be in English; the discussion of the texts will be in English and German, depending on the students’ preferences. Students in philosophy, computer science, linguistics, and students with interdisciplinary interests are welcome. The seminar does not require any previous knowledge. It can be followed autonomously or in conjunction with the lecture Introduction to Formal Languages: Applications and Philosophical Questions.
Course plan
1 15.10. Introduction
2 22.10. Friedrich Nietzsche – [6] Language and Truth
3 29.10. Gottlob Frege – [2] Sense and Reference
4 5.11. Bertrand Russell – [10] Definite descriptions
5 12.11. Saul Kripke – [4] (Excerpts) Proper Names
6 19.11. John Perry – [7] Indexicals
7 26.11. Q. V. O. Quine – [9] Analyticity and Reductionism
8 3.12. Alfred Tarski – [11] Semantic Definition of Truth
9 10.12. Kurt G¨odel – [3] Mathematics, Language, and Syntax
10 17.12. Ludwig Wittgenstein – [12] (Excerpts) Meaning as Use
11 14.01. Hilary Putnam – [8] Semantic Externalism
12 21.01. Noam Chomsky – [1] Knowledge of Language
13 28.01. David Lewis – [5] Languages and Language
14 4.02. Final discussion
Formal stuff
Seminar participants are expected to read the respective paper or book excerpt before each session, which are then discussed in the following seminar session. All texts will be available online. For each text, you will receive some questions for text preparation before the session, which cover the most important argumentation steps and can be used to prepare for the discussion. Each session begins with a short oral presentation (approx. 10 minutes) of the text prepared by one or several students. For those who wish to submit an essay, a list of possible essay topics will be distributed at the end of the seminar; students are also welcome to work on their own essay topics after prior consultation with Prof. Jonas and/ or Prof. Vestrucci. Languages: English and German
Open to: Students of Philosophy, Computer Science (Bachelor and Master), Computing in the Humanities, and Linguistics (including Foreign Languages)
Prerequisites: None. Having access to a laptop would be useful. The lecture Introduction to Formal Languages: Applications and Philosophical Questions complements the seminar material and is therefore recommended but not obligatory.
Credits (ECTS): Philosophy students: 4 ECTS for 1500-2500-word essays, or 6 ECTS for 2500-3500- word essays.
Computer Science Students (including CitH): 3 ECTS for a MAX 3 pages extended abstract on AAAI template. Template will be provided at due time.
Master’s students in English and American Studies, Profile Module I/II/III in English Linguistics: 8 ECTS for regular active participation in class + oral presentation + seminar paper of 4500-6000 words. Students taking the seminar as part of a di↵erent type of Profile Module in English Linguistics please contact the lecturers about credit requirements.
Master’s students in English and American Studies, Consolidation Module I/II/III in English Linguistics: 5/6/8 ECTS for regular participation in class + oral presentation + oral exam.
Dates, deadlines, and appointments:
Semester dates: 14.10.2024 - 7.02.2025
No class: 7.01.2025
Essay-Deadline: 1. April 2025 — Please submit your essay [for philosophy and linguistics students] or extended abstract [for CS students] as PDF to both lecturers. Philosophy students shall also provide a printed copy to Mrs Bachmann (philosophy secretary). Dates for linguistics students’ oral exams will be schedule individually.
Consultations: To request a personal meeting, please write an email: silvia.jonas@uni-bamberg.de.de, andrea.vestrucci@uni-bamberg.de
- Moderator/in: Mika Jan Holstein
- Moderator/in: Silvia Jonas
- Moderator/in: Andrea Vestrucci