Contextual Epistemic Logic

TL;DR

This paper introduces a formal logic, CEL, that extends standard epistemic logic with context-sensitive operators, providing a new tool to analyze knowledge in varying contexts and illustrating its application to informal epistemology.

Contribution

It proposes a novel contextual epistemic logic, CEL, with axiomatic and semantic foundations, bridging formal logic and informal epistemological discussions.

Findings

CEL extends S5 with a contextual operator

Provides Kripkean and dialogical semantics for CEL

Demonstrates application to informal epistemological issues

Abstract

One of the highlights of recent informal epistemology is its growing theoretical emphasis upon various notions of context. The present paper addresses the connections between knowledge and context within a formal approach. To this end, a "contextual epistemic logic", CEL, is proposed, which consists of an extension of standard S5 epistemic modal logic with appropriate reduction axioms to deal with an extra contextual operator. We describe the axiomatics and supply both a Kripkean and a dialogical semantics for CEL. An illustration of how it may fruitfully be applied to informal epistemological matters is provided.