Workshop on Theories of Definition, The 8th World Congress on Universal Logic (UNILOG)

Workshop on Theories of Definition

In memory of Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī (1149–1210)

Part of the 8th World Congress on Universal Logic (UNILOG)

Cusco, Peru — December 9–14, 2025

Organizers

Sherif Salem, University Canada West, Canada
Email: [email protected]

Description

The nature of meaning and definition has been a cornerstone of philosophical inquiry and logical analysis since antiquity. Every major philosophical tradition has developed distinct conceptions of what it means to define, reflecting diverse assumptions about their philosophical methodologies.

This workshop aims to explore the theory of definition across historical and contemporary perspectives, examining its role in logic, metaphysics, epistemology, and the philosophy of science. Contributions may address the topic from formal, historical, linguistic, or applied perspectives, including the implications of definability in AI and computational reasoning.

Suggested (but not limited to) Topics

• Definitions in non-Aristotelian logics (e.g., Islamic, Buddhist, or modern symbolic systems)
• The definitional regress problem: can definitions ever terminate?
• The role of definitions in conceptual engineering and revisionary metaphysics
• Definability and conservativity: what can (and cannot) be introduced by definition in a formal system?
• Definitional equivalence and intertranslatability of theories
• The role of definition in the formation and revision of scientific concepts
• The interplay between definition and measurement in the natural and social sciences
• Symbol grounding and the definitional problem in machine learning
• Can LLMs define? On definitional reasoning and language models
• Are definitions essential for explainable AI?
• Definition and intensionality: Frege, Carnap, Kripke, and beyond
• Indefinability results in mathematics and logic (e.g. Tarski, Gödel)

Submission Details

Please submit a one-page abstract by November 15, 2025 (just let me know ahead if you’ll be submitting late) to:
[email protected]

Presentation length: 30 minutes (including discussion).

Selected papers will be chosen a few days after submission and will be invited for publication in a journal at a later stage.

A roundtable discussion with all speakers will conclude the workshop.