Modal structures in groups and vector spaces

Abstract

Abstract Vector spaces contain a number of general structures that invite analysis in modal languages. The resulting logical systems provide an interesting counterpart to the much better-studied modal logics of topological spaces. In this programmatic paper, we investigate issues of definability and axiomatization using standard techniques for modal and hybrid languages. The analysis proceeds in stages. We first present a modal analysis of commutative groups that establishes our main techniques, next we introduce a new modal logic of linear dependence and independence in vector spaces and, finally, we study a modal logic for describing full-fledged vector spaces. While still far from covering every basic aspect of linear algebra, our discussion identifies several leads for more systematic research.