Visual Reasoning with Diagrams

Special issue of the journal Logica Universalis
We invite submissions to the journal Logica Universalis for a special issue on Visual reasoning with diagrams. The deadline for submission is 15 December 2010*.



Logic, the discipline that explores valid reasoning, need not be limited
to a specific form of representation but should include any form as long
as it allows us to extract information from given information. The use
of diagrams has a long, but unequal, history in logic: The golden age of
diagrammatic logic in the 19th century, thanks to Euler and Venn
circles, was followed by the early 20th century’s symbolization of
modern logic by Frege and Russell. Recently, we have been witnessing a
revival of interest in diagrams from various disciplines -- mathematics,
logic, philosophy, cognitive science, and computer science.

Our special issue aims to provide a space for this newly debated topic
-- the logical status of diagrams – in order to advance the goal of
universal logic by exploring common and/or unique features of visual
reasoning. Topics for the special issue include, but are not limited to:
What is a logic diagram? Is diagrammatic logic one more logic? Or are
diagrams merely a notation that one can adapt to fit different logics?
Do diagrams fit some logical systems better than to others? Is there
still room for the use of diagrams in modern logic? Authors are welcome
to present a specific diagrammatic system but we strongly recommend
discussing the implications of the system for the journal’s perspective
of universal logic.

Logica Universalis publishes peer-reviewed research papers related to
universal features of logics. Topics include general tools and
techniques for studying already existing logics and building new ones,
the study of classes of logics, the scope of validity and the domain of
application of fundamental theorems, and also philosophical and
historical aspects of general concepts of logic.

This special issue is expected to appear in 2011.

Papers should be sent electronically to one or both of the guest editors:

Amirouche Moktefi: moktefi@unistra.fr
Sun-Joo Shin: sun-joo.shin@yale.edu

For further information on the journal and instructions for authors,
please consult the journal’s web page at:
http://www.springer.com/birkhauser/mathematics/journal/11787