Temporal Logics

This Element describes how temporal logics formalise reasoning about time and how time is utterly important for everybody.

Temporal Logics are a rich variety of logical systems designed for formalising reasoning about time, and about events and changes in the world over time. This Element aims at providing both a panoramic view and closer looks at temporal logics.Temporal Logics are a rich variety of logical systems designed for formalising reasoning about time, and about events and changes in the world over time. These systems differ by the ontological assumptions made about the nature of time in the associated models, by the logical languages involving various operators for composing temporalized expressions, and by the formal logical semantics adopted for capturing the precise intended meaning of these temporal operators. Temporal logics have found a wide range of applications as formal frameworks for temporal knowledge representation and reasoning in artificial intelligence, and as tools for formal specification, analysis, and verification of properties of computer programs and systems. This Element aims at providing both a panoramic view on the landscape of the variety of temporal logics and closer looks at some of their most interesting and important landmarks.