Logic and Philosophy of Time

Vol. 7 No. 1 (2026): Logic and Philosophy of Time
Articles

The Junction of Modal and Tense Logic: William of Ockham and Arthur Prior

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Thomas N. Steiner
Aalborg University
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54337/lpt.v7i1.11312

Published 07-02-2026

Keywords

  • William of Ockham,
  • Arthur Prior,
  • tense-logic,
  • modal logic

How to Cite

Steiner, T. N. (2026). The Junction of Modal and Tense Logic: William of Ockham and Arthur Prior. Logic and Philosophy of Time, 7(1), 142–167. https://doi.org/10.54337/lpt.v7i1.11312

Copyright (c) 2026 Logic and Philosophy of Time

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Abstract

That Arthur Prior treasured and was inspired by William of Ockham on specific issues is fairly evident from his writings and the references contained therein. It is possible, however, that this inspiration was more fundamental and somewhat broader than Prior seemed to realise or acknowledge. Tense logic was invented through work done on modal logic and as a unification of metaphysical convictions about time and free will. This article investigates whether the bond between modal and tense logic was to some extent foreshadowed in Ockham.

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