Department of Mathematical Logic (Bulgarian Academy of Sciences)
Encyclopedia
The Department of Mathematical Logic at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
was created by the Institute of Mathematics and Informatics
in implementation of Government Decree N0. 236 of November 3, 1959. Its first chairman was Boyan Petkanchin
(1907–87) who worked to promote and disseminate the knowledge of mathematical logic
both in the professional mathematical
community in Bulgaria
and as popular science
.
Vladimir Sotirov and Radoslav Pavlov joined the department in 1970, followed by George Gargov, Anatoly Buda, Lyubomir Ivanov, Slavyan Radev and Solomon Passy
in 1976-89. In 1996-2000 the department was joined by Dimiter Dobrev, Jordan Zashev and Dimitar Guelev.
From 1971 to 1989 the department was merged with the corresponding division of the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics at Sofia University
, with Dimiter Skordev
heading the integrated structure since 1971. In 1989 the institutional relationship with Sofia University
was severed, and the department resumed as a division of the Institute of Mathematics and Informatics, headed since then by Lyubomir Ivanov.
The logicians Bogdan Dyankov, Hristo Smolenov, Veselin Petrov and Marion Mircheva stayed with the department for various periods of time, all of them coming from the Institute of Philosophy at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
once the latter was dissolved on account of the dissident activities of its members in 1989.
The research of the department is mostly in the area of algebra
ic recursion theory
, modal
, temporal
and other non-classical logics
, as well as logic programming
including the development of a version of the Prolog
programming language
. The department developed also the Streamlined System adopted as the official national system for the Romanization
of Bulgarian
, and eventually codified by the Bulgarian Law of Transliteration in 2009. A joint multi-institutional project led by the department has contributed to the development and introduction of a new Bulgarian phonetic
keyboard layout for personal computers and mobile phones.
Besides their research activities, members of the department have an extensive lecturing practice at various faculties of Sofia University
as well as other Bulgarian universities. Some members of the department have earned public recognition for their non-academic activities. Sotirov, Ivanov, and Passy
were returned MP
s in the VII Grand National Assembly
on the side of the Union of Democratic Forces, and co-authored the new Bulgarian Constitution
.
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
The Bulgarian Academy of Sciences is the National Academy of Bulgaria, established in 1869. The Academy is autonomous and has a Society of Academicians, Correspondent Members and Foreign Members...
was created by the Institute of Mathematics and Informatics
Institute of Mathematics and Informatics (Bulgarian Academy of Sciences)
The Institute of Mathematics and Informatics was established in 1947 as Institute of Mathematics at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. Its name changed to Institute of Mathematics with Computing Centre in 1961, while from 1970 to 1988 the Institute together with the Faculty of Mathematics at Sofia...
in implementation of Government Decree N0. 236 of November 3, 1959. Its first chairman was Boyan Petkanchin
Boyan Petkanchin
Boyan Petkanchin was a prominent Bulgarian mathematician, working in geometry and foundation of mathematics. As a first chairman of the Department of Mathematical Logic at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences he worked to promote and disseminate the knowledge of mathematical logic both in the...
(1907–87) who worked to promote and disseminate the knowledge of mathematical logic
Mathematical logic
Mathematical logic is a subfield of mathematics with close connections to foundations of mathematics, theoretical computer science and philosophical logic. The field includes both the mathematical study of logic and the applications of formal logic to other areas of mathematics...
both in the professional mathematical
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
community in Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
and as popular science
Popular science
Popular science, sometimes called literature of science, is interpretation of science intended for a general audience. While science journalism focuses on recent scientific developments, popular science is broad-ranging, often written by scientists as well as journalists, and is presented in many...
.
Vladimir Sotirov and Radoslav Pavlov joined the department in 1970, followed by George Gargov, Anatoly Buda, Lyubomir Ivanov, Slavyan Radev and Solomon Passy
Solomon Passy
Solomon Isaac Passy is a Bulgarian politician, foreign minister of Bulgaria from July 2001 until August 2005, and the Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE in 2004. Dr. Passy is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy.- Summary :Solomon Passy was born in Plovdiv. He...
in 1976-89. In 1996-2000 the department was joined by Dimiter Dobrev, Jordan Zashev and Dimitar Guelev.
From 1971 to 1989 the department was merged with the corresponding division of the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics at Sofia University
Sofia University
The St. Clement of Ohrid University of Sofia or Sofia University is the oldest higher education institution in Bulgaria, founded on 1 October 1888...
, with Dimiter Skordev
Dimiter Skordev
Dimiter Skordev is a professor in the Department of Mathematical Logic and Applications, Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science at the St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia. Chairman of the department in 1972-2000...
heading the integrated structure since 1971. In 1989 the institutional relationship with Sofia University
Sofia University
The St. Clement of Ohrid University of Sofia or Sofia University is the oldest higher education institution in Bulgaria, founded on 1 October 1888...
was severed, and the department resumed as a division of the Institute of Mathematics and Informatics, headed since then by Lyubomir Ivanov.
The logicians Bogdan Dyankov, Hristo Smolenov, Veselin Petrov and Marion Mircheva stayed with the department for various periods of time, all of them coming from the Institute of Philosophy at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
The Bulgarian Academy of Sciences is the National Academy of Bulgaria, established in 1869. The Academy is autonomous and has a Society of Academicians, Correspondent Members and Foreign Members...
once the latter was dissolved on account of the dissident activities of its members in 1989.
The research of the department is mostly in the area of algebra
Algebra
Algebra is the branch of mathematics concerning the study of the rules of operations and relations, and the constructions and concepts arising from them, including terms, polynomials, equations and algebraic structures...
ic recursion theory
Recursion theory
Computability theory, also called recursion theory, is a branch of mathematical logic that originated in the 1930s with the study of computable functions and Turing degrees. The field has grown to include the study of generalized computability and definability...
, modal
Modal logic
Modal logic is a type of formal logic that extends classical propositional and predicate logic to include operators expressing modality. Modals — words that express modalities — qualify a statement. For example, the statement "John is happy" might be qualified by saying that John is...
, temporal
Temporal logic
In logic, the term temporal logic is used to describe any system of rules and symbolism for representing, and reasoning about, propositions qualified in terms of time. In a temporal logic we can then express statements like "I am always hungry", "I will eventually be hungry", or "I will be hungry...
and other non-classical logics
Classical logic
Classical logic identifies a class of formal logics that have been most intensively studied and most widely used. The class is sometimes called standard logic as well...
, as well as logic programming
Logic programming
Logic programming is, in its broadest sense, the use of mathematical logic for computer programming. In this view of logic programming, which can be traced at least as far back as John McCarthy's [1958] advice-taker proposal, logic is used as a purely declarative representation language, and a...
including the development of a version of the Prolog
Prolog
Prolog is a general purpose logic programming language associated with artificial intelligence and computational linguistics.Prolog has its roots in first-order logic, a formal logic, and unlike many other programming languages, Prolog is declarative: the program logic is expressed in terms of...
programming language
Programming language
A programming language is an artificial language designed to communicate instructions to a machine, particularly a computer. Programming languages can be used to create programs that control the behavior of a machine and/or to express algorithms precisely....
. The department developed also the Streamlined System adopted as the official national system for the Romanization
Romanization
In linguistics, romanization or latinization is the representation of a written word or spoken speech with the Roman script, or a system for doing so, where the original word or language uses a different writing system . Methods of romanization include transliteration, for representing written...
of Bulgarian
Bulgarian language
Bulgarian is an Indo-European language, a member of the Slavic linguistic group.Bulgarian, along with the closely related Macedonian language, demonstrates several linguistic characteristics that set it apart from all other Slavic languages such as the elimination of case declension, the...
, and eventually codified by the Bulgarian Law of Transliteration in 2009. A joint multi-institutional project led by the department has contributed to the development and introduction of a new Bulgarian phonetic
Phonetics
Phonetics is a branch of linguistics that comprises the study of the sounds of human speech, or—in the case of sign languages—the equivalent aspects of sign. It is concerned with the physical properties of speech sounds or signs : their physiological production, acoustic properties, auditory...
keyboard layout for personal computers and mobile phones.
Besides their research activities, members of the department have an extensive lecturing practice at various faculties of Sofia University
Sofia University
The St. Clement of Ohrid University of Sofia or Sofia University is the oldest higher education institution in Bulgaria, founded on 1 October 1888...
as well as other Bulgarian universities. Some members of the department have earned public recognition for their non-academic activities. Sotirov, Ivanov, and Passy
Solomon Passy
Solomon Isaac Passy is a Bulgarian politician, foreign minister of Bulgaria from July 2001 until August 2005, and the Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE in 2004. Dr. Passy is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy.- Summary :Solomon Passy was born in Plovdiv. He...
were returned MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
s in the VII Grand National Assembly
National Assembly of Bulgaria
The National Assembly of Bulgaria is the unicameral parliament and body of the legislative of the Republic of Bulgaria.The National Assembly of Bulgaria was established in 1879 with the Constitution of Bulgaria.-Ordinary National Assembly:...
on the side of the Union of Democratic Forces, and co-authored the new Bulgarian Constitution
Constitution of Bulgaria
The Constitution of Bulgaria is the supreme and basic law of the Republic of Bulgaria. The current constitution was adopted on 12 July 1991 by the 7th Grand National Assembly of Bulgaria, and defines the country as a unitary parliamentary republic...
.