Some aspects of the result of applying unit resolution on a cnf formula can be formalized as functions with domain a set of partial truth assignments. We are interested in two ways for computing such functions, depending on whether the result is the production of the empty clause or the assignment of a variable with a given truth value. We show that these two models can compute the same functio...

Is there a notion of contradiction—let us call it, for dramatic effect, “absolute”— making all contradictions, so understood, unacceptable also for dialetheists? It is argued in this paper that there is, and that spelling it out brings some theoretical benefits. First it gives us a foothold on undisputed ground in the methodologically difficult debate on dialetheism. Second, we can use it to ex...

China is gradually shifting towards more sustainable urban development, and the local governments are increasingly promoting social environmentally spatial planning practices. This article debates potential contradiction between goal of a constantly growing population limits to consumption land planned by this new direction development. The analysis focuses on wealthy city Suzhou in Yangtse Riv...

A keystone in the classical theory of diophantine approximation is the construction of an auxilliary polynomial. The polynomial is constructed so that it is forced (for arithmetic reasons) to vanish at certain approximating points and this contradicts an upper bound on the order of vanishing obtained by other (usually geometric) techniques; the contradiction then allows one to prove finiteness ...