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4. Formal Logic / B. Propositional Logic PL / 2. Tools of Propositional Logic / b. Terminology of PL

[definitions of the main concepts in propositional logic]

16 ideas
The 'scope' of a connective is the connective, the linked formulae, and the brackets [Lemmon]
     Full Idea: The 'scope' of a connective in a certain formula is the formulae linked by the connective, together with the connective itself and the (theoretically) encircling brackets
     From: E.J. Lemmon (Beginning Logic [1965], 2.1)
A 'well-formed formula' follows the rules for variables, ¬, →, ∧, ∨, and ↔ [Lemmon]
     Full Idea: A 'well-formed formula' of the propositional calculus is a sequence of symbols which follows the rules for variables, ¬, →, ∧, ∨, and ↔.
     From: E.J. Lemmon (Beginning Logic [1965], 2.1)
A 'substitution-instance' is a wff formed by consistent replacing variables with wffs [Lemmon]
     Full Idea: A 'substitution-instance' is a wff which results by replacing one or more variables throughout with the same wffs (the same wff replacing each variable).
     From: E.J. Lemmon (Beginning Logic [1965], 2.2)
A 'theorem' is the conclusion of a provable sequent with zero assumptions [Lemmon]
     Full Idea: A 'theorem' of logic is the conclusion of a provable sequent in which the number of assumptions is zero.
     From: E.J. Lemmon (Beginning Logic [1965], 2.2)
     A reaction: This is what Quine and others call a 'logical truth'.
A 'implies' B if B is true whenever A is true (so that A→B is tautologous) [Lemmon]
     Full Idea: One proposition A 'implies' a proposition B if whenever A is true B is true (but not necessarily conversely), which is only the case if A→B is tautologous. Hence B 'is implied' by A.
     From: E.J. Lemmon (Beginning Logic [1965], 2.3)
A wff is 'inconsistent' if all assignments to variables result in the value F [Lemmon]
     Full Idea: If a well-formed formula of propositional calculus takes the value F for all possible assignments of truth-values to its variables, it is said to be 'inconsistent'.
     From: E.J. Lemmon (Beginning Logic [1965], 2.3)
Two propositions are 'equivalent' if they mirror one another's truth-value [Lemmon]
     Full Idea: Two propositions are 'equivalent' if whenever A is true B is true, and whenever B is true A is true, in which case A↔B is a tautology.
     From: E.J. Lemmon (Beginning Logic [1965], 2.3)
'Subcontrary' propositions are never both false, so that A∨B is a tautology [Lemmon]
     Full Idea: If A and B are expressible in propositional calculus notation, they are 'subcontrary' if they are never both false, which may be tested by the truth-table for A∨B, which is a tautology if they are subcontrary.
     From: E.J. Lemmon (Beginning Logic [1965], 2.3)
'Contrary' propositions are never both true, so that ¬(A∧B) is a tautology [Lemmon]
     Full Idea: If A and B are expressible in propositional calculus notation, they are 'contrary' if they are never both true, which may be tested by the truth-table for ¬(A∧B), which is a tautology if they are contrary.
     From: E.J. Lemmon (Beginning Logic [1965], 2.3)
A wff is a 'tautology' if all assignments to variables result in the value T [Lemmon]
     Full Idea: If a well-formed formula of propositional calculus takes the value T for all possible assignments of truth-values to its variables, it is said to be a 'tautology'.
     From: E.J. Lemmon (Beginning Logic [1965], 2.3)
A wff is 'contingent' if produces at least one T and at least one F [Lemmon]
     Full Idea: If a well-formed formula of propositional calculus takes at least one T and at least one F for all the assignments of truth-values to its variables, it is said to be 'contingent'.
     From: E.J. Lemmon (Beginning Logic [1965], 2.3)
A 'value-assignment' (V) is when to each variable in the set V assigns either the value 1 or the value 0 [Hughes/Cresswell]
     Full Idea: A 'value-assignment' (V) is when to each variable in the set V assigns either the value 1 or the value 0.
     From: GE Hughes/M Cresswell (An Introduction to Modal Logic [1968], Ch.1)
     A reaction: In the interpreted version of the logic, 1 and 0 would become T (true) and F (false). The procedure seems to be called nowadays a 'valuation'.
'Disjunctive Normal Form' is ensuring that no conjunction has a disjunction within its scope [Bostock]
     Full Idea: 'Disjunctive Normal Form' (DNF) is rearranging the occurrences of ∧ and ∨ so that no conjunction sign has any disjunction in its scope. This is achieved by applying two of the distribution laws.
     From: David Bostock (Intermediate Logic [1997], 2.6)
'Conjunctive Normal Form' is ensuring that no disjunction has a conjunction within its scope [Bostock]
     Full Idea: 'Conjunctive Normal Form' (CNF) is rearranging the occurrences of ∧ and ∨ so that no disjunction sign has any conjunction in its scope. This is achieved by applying two of the distribution laws.
     From: David Bostock (Intermediate Logic [1997], 2.6)
'Theorems' are formulas provable from no premises at all [Sider]
     Full Idea: Formulas provable from no premises at all are often called 'theorems'.
     From: Theodore Sider (Logic for Philosophy [2010], 2.6)
A 'tautology' must include connectives [Wolf,RS]
     Full Idea: 'For every number x, x = x' is not a tautology, because it includes no connectives.
     From: Robert S. Wolf (A Tour through Mathematical Logic [2005], 1.2)