The authors present a new conceptual framework for discrete event modeling and simulation (DEMS) based on the general approach and perspective of logicians. The conceptual framework defines its fundamental concepts and terminology from a perspective commonly held by logicians, a modal discrete event logic L_DE for representing discrete event models, and a simulation procedure for simulating models expressible in a sublogic of L_DE. It provides a foundation for studying expressions containing a wide range of temporal operators and logical combinations of events, variables, and time.

The new framework is much more promising than the system-theoretic approach. It can be used as a methodology for designing and defining DEMS languages. L_DE provides a vast variety of temporal operators, many of which either are not available in the existing languages, or the existing languages restrict their usage. The new framework has the potential of creating proof systems for proving the properties of a model specification. The major drawback of the new framework is that it does not consider representations at different abstraction levels and hierarchical modeling. Another limitation is that L_DE does not bind variables and does not allow predicates. The paper presents many research directions for improving the logic-based foundation, however. The new framework should be useful to designers, implementors, practitioners, and researchers interested in the theoretical aspects of DEMS languages and conceptual frameworks.