Leibniz dreamed of a universal language and a calculus of reason which would reduce all problems to numerical computation. Unrealisable in his time, it is still today a dream, but one which (subject to qualifications) advances in mathematics, logic and information technology may have brought within our grasp.

X-Logic is a philosophical thought experiment in the form of a design for distributed reasoning artefacts. The idea is that the philosophy appears in the articulation of the rationale for the proposed architecture.

Leibniz dreamed of a universal language and a calculus of reason which would reduce all problems to numerical computation. Unrealisable in his time, it is still today a dream, but one which (subject to qualifications) advances in mathematics, logic and information technology may have brought within our grasp.

The calculator which Leibnxiz designed and built was nowhere near adequate for doing anything worthwhile with the calculus ratiocinator which he envisaged. Todays global networks of electronic computers are more like what is needed. It took a long history of innovation to get from the one to the other.

The "calculus", independently invented by Isaac Newton and Leibniz, was the beginning of a new branch of mathematics called "analysis". Analysis developed rapidly over the next hundred years, providing the mathematical techniques necessary for the growth of science and engineering. Success in application made continued development possible despite reservations about the coherence and rigour of the methods which had been adopted. Rigourisation, leading eventually to logicisation began only in the nineteenth century.

The design of X-Logic is rooted in philosophy. The whole story is to be found in the philosophy of metaphysical positivism, but here we note the influence of two components of metaphysical positivism, and the features of X-Logic which they have determined. Those influences are of (Pyrrhonean) scepticism and of philosophical positivism.

This is an informal statement of requirements for X-Logic.

Some earlier ideas about X-Logic (previously at X-Logic.org).