Following a result by De Rijke for modal logic, it is shown that the basic weak entailment model-theoretic language with absurdity is the maximal model-theoretic language having the finite occurrence property, preservation under relevant directed bisimulations and the finite depth property. This can be seen as a generalized preservation theorem characterizing propositional weak entailment formulas among formulas of other model-theoretic languages.

Under a proper translation, the languages of propositional (and quantified relevant logic) with an absurdity constant are characterized as the fragments of first order logic preserved under (world-object) relevant directed bisimulations. Furthermore, the properties of pointed models axiomatizable by sets of propositional relevant formulas have a purely algebraic characterization. Finally, a form of the interpolation property holds for the relevant fragment of first order logic.

There is a strong case to be made for thinking that an obscure logic, KR, is better than classical logic and better than any relevant logic. The argument for KR over relevant logics is that KR counts disjunctive syllogism valid, and this is the biggest complaint about relevant logics. The argument for KR over classical logic depends on the normativity of logic and the paradoxes of implication. The paradoxes of implication are taken by relevant logicians to justify relevant logic, but (...) considerations on the normativity of logic show that only some of the paradoxes of implication are genuine. KR avoids all the genuine paradoxes of implication, unlike classical logic. Overall, KR avoids the genuine paradoxes of implication and avoids the major objection to relevant logics. This combination of features provides strong reason to give KR a place in the conversation about the right logic. (shrink)

Analogues of Scott's isomorphism theorem, Karp's theorem as well as results on lack of compactness and strong completeness are established for infinitary propositional relevant logics. An "interpolation theorem" for the infinitary quantificational boolean logic L-infinity omega. holds. This yields a preservation result characterizing the expressive power of infinitary relevant languages with absurdity using the model-theoretic relation of relevant directed bisimulation as well as a Beth definability property.

This paper defines a Sahlqvist fragment for relevant logic and establishes that each class of frames in the Routley-Meyer semantics which is definable by a Sahlqvist formula is also elementary, that is, it coincides with the class of structures satisfying a given first order property calculable by a Sahlqvist-van Benthem algorithm. Furthermore, we show that some classes of Routley-Meyer frames definable by a relevant formula are not elementary.