Association for Symbolic Logic
International scholarly association supporting research, publication, teaching, and exchange in mathematical and philosophical logic.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
The Association for Symbolic Logic (ASL) is an international scholarly organization serving specialists in mathematical logic, philosophical logic, and neighboring areas. Established in 1936, it provides a durable institutional framework for research communication, professional recognition, publishing, conferences, lectures, and educational exchange across the logic community. Its scope includes foundational and mathematical subjects such as model theory, set theory, recursion and computability theory, proof theory, descriptive set theory, and complexity, while also encompassing philosophical questions about language, truth, mathematics, science, and formal reasoning. The association is best known for its publication program. Its Journal of Symbolic Logic, founded in the same year as the organization, publishes original research across mathematical logic. The Bulletin of Symbolic Logic, launched in 1995, emphasizes surveys, expository work, reviews, and material intended to communicate developments across the field. The Review of Symbolic Logic, founded in 2008, focuses on research at the intersections of logic, philosophy, science, and their interactions. The ASL also sponsors the Journal of Logic and Analysis, an open-access journal founded in 2009 that addresses connections between mathematical logic and pure and applied analysis. In addition to journals, the association supports book publishing through series including Lecture Notes in Logic and Perspectives in Logic, and it has participated in projects involving collected writings of Kurt Gödel. Meetings are another central part of the ASL's role. The organization holds major annual gatherings in North America and Europe, with the European meeting commonly known as Logic Colloquium. It also participates in joint meetings with organizations such as the American Mathematical Society and the American Philosophical Association, and sponsors or supports meetings in different countries. These activities provide venues for presenting new results, building collaborations, mentoring early-career researchers, and connecting mathematical and philosophical traditions of logic. The ASL's lecture and awards programs extend its role beyond periodical publishing. The Gödel Lecture Series, which began in 1990, presents annual lectures by prominent researchers on subjects spanning set theory, model theory, computability, proof complexity, philosophical logic, and related areas. The association also administers distinctions including the Karp Prize, awarded periodically for an outstanding paper or book in symbolic logic; the Sacks Prize, recognizing an outstanding doctoral dissertation in mathematical logic; and the Shoenfield Prize, which honors high-quality expository writing in book and article categories. These programs memorialize influential figures while recognizing significant research and communication. The organization has been led by figures from the international logic community. Its first president was Curt John Ducasse, and the current president identified in the cited reference material is Natasha Dobrinen. As a membership-based scholarly association rather than a commercial company, the ASL has no conventional consumer product portfolio, public stock listing, or corporate parent. Its principal offerings are intellectual and professional: journals, books, conferences, lectures, prizes, community infrastructure, and advocacy for the study and teaching of logic.
History
The Association for Symbolic Logic was founded in 1936 to provide an organized international community for the study of symbolic logic. Its creation coincided with the emergence of modern mathematical logic as a distinct and rapidly developing field, bringing together work on formal systems, foundations of mathematics, computability, semantics, and related philosophical questions. Curt John Ducasse served as its first president. Publication has remained one of the association's defining activities. The Journal of Symbolic Logic began in 1936 and became a major outlet for original research across mathematical logic. Over time, the ASL expanded its publishing program to serve different audiences and subfields. The Bulletin of Symbolic Logic, founded in 1995, was designed primarily for expository articles, surveys, and reviews. The Review of Symbolic Logic, established in 2008, broadened the association's profile at the boundary of logic, philosophy, and science. In 2009, the association sponsored the Journal of Logic and Analysis, an open-access publication focused on relationships between mathematical logic and analysis. Its book activity includes the Lecture Notes in Logic and Perspectives in Logic series, and the organization contributed to publication work involving the collected writings of Kurt Gödel. The ASL has also developed a substantial program of meetings and intellectual events. It organizes major annual meetings in North America and Europe, the latter commonly called Logic Colloquium, and participates in joint events with the American Mathematical Society and the American Philosophical Association. Through these meetings and additional sponsored gatherings around the world, the association supports the presentation of new research and interaction among researchers working in different national and disciplinary settings. The Gödel Lecture Series has been held annually since 1990. Its speakers and topics reflect the breadth of contemporary logic, including inner models and large cardinals, descriptive set theory, computability, model theory, proof complexity, philosophical logic, and mathematical foundations. The series has featured leading researchers and has become one of the association's most visible public scholarly programs. Recognition of achievement is provided through several prizes. The Karp Prize, established in 1973 in memory of Carol Karp, honors an outstanding paper or book in symbolic logic and is awarded on a periodic basis. The Sacks Prize, established in 1999 in honor of Gerald Sacks, recognizes an exceptional doctoral dissertation in mathematical logic. The Shoenfield Prize, inaugurated in 2007, recognizes outstanding expository writing in logic in book and article categories and honors Joseph R. Shoenfield. Today, the ASL remains an active international learned society. It is not a conventional commercial brand: its identity rests on scholarly publishing, professional events, lectures, awards, and support for a global research community. Its journals, book series, conferences, and recognitions continue to connect mathematical, philosophical, and foundational approaches to logic.
- 2024
Thirty-fifth Gödel Lecture
[1]Thomas Scanlon delivered the 35th Gödel Lecture on undecidability in fields.
- 2009
Journal of Logic and Analysis sponsored
[1]The ASL began sponsoring the open-access Journal of Logic and Analysis, focused on interactions between logic and analysis.
- 2008
Review of Symbolic Logic founded
[1]The journal began publication with a focus on relationships among logic, philosophy, and science.
- 2007
Shoenfield Prize inaugurated
[1]The association introduced the Shoenfield Prize for outstanding expository writing in book and article categories.
- 1999
Sacks Prize established
[1]The Sacks Prize was created to recognize an outstanding doctoral dissertation in mathematical logic.
- 1995
Bulletin of Symbolic Logic founded
[1]The Bulletin was launched to emphasize expository articles, surveys, and reviews.
- 1990
Gödel Lecture Series begins
[1]The association began its annual Gödel Lecture Series, which has become a recurring forum for major work in logic.
- 1973
Karp Prize established
[1]The ASL established the Karp Prize to recognize an outstanding paper or book in symbolic logic.
- 1936
Association founded
[1]The Association for Symbolic Logic was established, with Curt John Ducasse serving as its first president.
- 1936
Journal of Symbolic Logic launched
[1]The association's principal research journal began publication, covering the broad field of mathematical logic.
Products and positioning
A specialist international learned society and publishing organization for mathematical and philosophical logic, positioned around rigorous research dissemination, cross-disciplinary exchange, and recognition of achievement in logic.
Research journal · 1936
Journal of Symbolic Logic
The Journal of Symbolic Logic is the ASL's long-running research periodical, publishing original work across mathematical logic. Its subject range covers the principal technical areas of the discipline and provides a formal channel for disseminating new results to an international specialist readership.
Expository journal · 1995
Bulletin of Symbolic Logic
Founded in 1995, the Bulletin of Symbolic Logic emphasizes expository articles, surveys, reviews, and other material that helps readers understand developments across logic. It complements the more research-intensive role of the Journal of Symbolic Logic.
Interdisciplinary research journal · 2008
Review of Symbolic Logic
The Review of Symbolic Logic publishes research connecting logic with philosophy, science, and related intellectual areas. Its remit highlights the use of formal methods and logical analysis in questions that cross traditional disciplinary boundaries.
Sponsored open-access journal · 2009
Journal of Logic and Analysis
The Journal of Logic and Analysis is an open-access journal sponsored by the ASL. It focuses on interactions between mathematical logic and pure or applied analysis, linking techniques and questions from both fields.
Academic book series
Lecture Notes in Logic
Lecture Notes in Logic is one of the ASL's book series for substantial scholarly material in logic, including advanced expositions, research-oriented lecture material, and monographic contributions.
Academic book series
Perspectives in Logic
Perspectives in Logic is an ASL-associated book series presenting scholarly work that offers significant research or conceptual perspectives on logic and its applications.
Annual lecture program · 1990
Gödel Lecture Series
The Gödel Lecture Series is an annual program begun in 1990. Each lecture presents substantial work or a broad intellectual perspective from a leading figure in logic, with topics ranging across mathematical foundations, computation, model theory, set theory, and philosophical logic.
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