Question

I've recently learned a lot about the history of formal logic, from Frege and Pierce in the late 19th century, to Russell, Hilbert, and Quine (et al)'s development of 1st-order logic, to advances with modal/non-classical logics (by Kripke, Hintikka, and Boolos), in the 70s, 80s, and 90s.

However, it seems that the last 20 to 30 years have been the quietest chapter yet. As far as I know, there have been no major kinds of logic thought up recently, no new figures rising to prominence, and no new innovations towards solving existing issues and controversies that continue to plague various modal logics.
Is formal logic a static discipline today, or am I missing something significant?

Answer 1

Formal logic is not static but continues to evolve, particularly through technological advancements and interdisciplinary applications.

Step-by-step explanation:

While it might seem that formal logic has not seen groundbreaking developments in recent decades, the discipline is far from static. As you rightly mentioned, the foundations laid by Frege, Pierce, Russell, and others have been immensely influential, and modal logics by Kripke, Hintikka, and Boolos have significantly advanced our understanding of logic's capabilities.

Nevertheless, in the past 20 to 30 years, work within formal logic has continued, though perhaps with less fanfare. Technological advances and the increasing computational power have led to the development of complex algorithms and new areas such as quantum logic and computational logic that are reshaping the field. Moreover, interdisciplinary applications of logic in areas such as cognitive science, artificial intelligence, and information theory are burgeoning.

Philosophy itself uses formal logic as a tool to critically analyze possibilities and arguments, ultimately aiming to inch closer to truth. This means that while new systems of logic may not be named and publicized as prominently as in the past, the ongoing improvements and applications of logic in philosophy and other areas illustrate that the discipline is vibrant and evolving.