Melvin Fitting, American logician
Melvin Fitting (born January 24, 1942) is a logician with special interests in philosophical logic and tableau proof systems. He was a Professor at City University of New York, Lehman College and the Graduate Center.: 723–724 from 1968 to 2013. At the Graduate Center he was in the departments of Computer Science, Philosophy, and Mathematics, and at Lehman College he was in the department of Mathematics and Computer Science. He is now Professor emeritus.
Fitting was born in Troy, New York. His undergraduate degree is from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and his doctorate is from Yeshiva University, both in mathematics. His thesis advisor was Raymond Smullyan.
In June 2012 Melvin Fitting was given the Herbrand Award by CADE, for distinguished contributions to automated deduction.A loose motivation for much of Melvin Fitting's work can be formulated succinctly as follows. There are many logics. Our principles of reasoning vary with context and subject matter. Multiplicity is one of the glories of modern formal logic. The common thread tying logics together is a concern for what can be said (syntax), what that means (semantics), and relationships between the two. A philosophical position that can be embodied in a formal logic has been shown to be coherent, not correct. Logic is a tool, not a master, but it is an enjoyable tool to use.
1942Jan, 24
Melvin Fitting
Choose Another Date
Events on 1942
- 25Jan
Thailand
World War II: Thailand declares war on the United States and United Kingdom. - 8Mar
Myanmar
World War II: Imperial Japanese Army forces captured Rangoon, Burma from British. - 10Jul
Soviet Union
Diplomatic relations between the Netherlands and the Soviet Union are established. - 13Aug
Manhattan Project
Major General Eugene Reybold of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers authorizes the construction of facilities that would house the "Development of Substitute Materials" project, better known as the Manhattan Project. - 25Sep
Holocaust
World War II: Swiss Police instruction dictates that "Under current practice ... refugees on the grounds of race alone are not political refugees", effectively denying entry to Jews trying to flee occupied Europe during the Holocaust.