Questions tagged [propositional-calculus]

Appropriate for questions about truth tables, conjunctive and disjunctive normal forms, negation, and implication of unquantified propositions. Also for general questions about the propositional calculus itself, including its semantics and proof theory. Questions about other kinds of logic should use a different tag, such as (logic), (predicate-logic), or (first-order-logic).

Propositional logic is a branch of logic dealing with logical connectives and statements involving them. A logical connective connects finitely many sentences and forms a compound sentence, in a way that the truth value of the compound sentence depends only on the truth value of its constituents. The most common connectives are the binary connectives conjunction ($\land$), disjunction ($\lor$) and implication ($\rightarrow$), the unary connective negation ($\neg$), and the nullary connectives true ($\top$) and false ($\bot$).

Any proposition is considered to be either atomic (in which case it has no constituents) or compound (in which case it's formed by mean a connective using simpler propositions). A propositional model is a function assigning to each atomic proposition a truth value $0$ or $1$. The truth values of compound propositions are then determined by the truth values of their constituents. For example, if $I$ is a function assigning truth values to propositions, one would have $I(\top)=1$, $I(\bot)=0$, $I(\neg A)=1-I(A)$, $I(A\land B)=\min\big(I(A),I(B)\big)$, $I(A\lor B)=\max\big(I(A),I(B)\big)$ and $I(A\rightarrow B)=\max\big(1-I(A),I(B)\big)$. The propositions having the value $1$ for every model, are called tautologies, and those having the value $0$ for every model, are called absurdities. A central task of propositional logic is characterizing tautologies and absurdities.

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Validity of argument

I am trying to validate the following argument using a truth table, but I get stuck: If you invest in this business, then you get the profit. You didn't invest in this business. Therefore, you didn't get the profit.
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A problem with propositions

I have a trouble on this. If someone helps, it would be great. $p\wedge q = 1$ and $q^ı\vee r^ı = 0$ What is the truth value of this respectively? My answer: $1,0,1$
Fiv
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Reducing Boolean Expression

I want to write a series of equivalences that reduces $(A \land \lnot B) \lor (A \land \lnot C) \lor (B \land \lnot A) \lor (B \land C)$ to $A \lor B$ . I usually don't struggle with boolean algebra, but this one has me stumped! Thanks in advance.
Archr
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Logic equation unknow x

I used search and i did not find a hint for this. So now i have a logic equation which has unknown truth value X("problem is to solve the X from logic equation which has truth values False and True). The equation is: T ∧ X ↔(if and only if) F ∧ X…
Johnny
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Writing iff and if then statements using "not" and "and."

How can I write $P \Rightarrow Q$ and $P \Leftrightarrow Q$ using only $\neg$ and $\land$?
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Is $((A\to B)\land (\lnot A \to C))\equiv (A\lor C)$?

I'm wondering whether $((A\to B)\land (\lnot A \to C)) \iff (A\lor C)$ is correct or not.
Pengin
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the "vacuously true" matter

I know the mathematical conditional's truth table ($P \Rightarrow Q$) is set this way : "the conditional" truth table the talk is about the time when P is false. why did we choose the conditional to be true when P is false? I mean we could have said…
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Write formula equivalent to ∃x(P(X)) for given domain using conjunction and implication, and not using negation.

"The domain of the propositional function P(X) is {0, 1, 2, 3, 4}. Write an formula equivalent to ∃x(P(X)) using conjunction and implication and not using negation before parenthesis." I had this on my exam. I wrote: ¬P(0)^¬P(1)^¬P(2)^¬P(3)^¬P(4) ->…
josefk
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What is the true value of $A(\lnot\varphi)$ in $A(\lnot\varphi\rightarrow(\theta\land\lnot\theta))=1$

$A(\lnot\varphi\rightarrow(\theta\land\lnot\theta))=1$ I know $(\theta\land\lnot\theta)$ is a falsehood. Can I say $A(\lnot\varphi)=1$? Why?
yashirq
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Indirect proof of universal statement

Can I prove $\neg R(x) \implies \neg R(y)$ by proving $\neg \neg R(y) \implies \neg \neg R(x)$? Can I also prove that by proving $R(y) \implies R(x)$?
player87
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Proof using deductive system and modus ponens

The axioms, if p and q are two sentences p$\Rightarrow$(q$\Rightarrow$p) (p$\Rightarrow$(q$\Rightarrow$r))$\Rightarrow$((p$\Rightarrow$q)$\Rightarrow$(p$\Rightarrow$r)) (~q$\Rightarrow$~p)$\Rightarrow$(p$\Rightarrow$q) using these axioms and Modus…
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Is an argument valid simply if its form is valid?

Can I conclude that an argument is valid if its argument form is valid? I realize that a false premise may lead to an incorrect conclusion (which is not what I'm asking). I see a lot of questions about whether specific arguments are valid, but I'm…
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Proving each conditional statement is a tautology

I'm having trouble trying to show that each of the conditional statement below is a tautology without using a truth table. I'm assuming you would have to use logical equivalence to figure this out. I know that a tautology is when the truth value of…
a22asin
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How to identify invalid proposition

In propositional logic, how do i identify if a [compound/non-compound] proposition is valid or not? do the parenthesis matter, even if they start and do not end etc...? for example: (P (and (not Q)))) or R)) or what about: ((P and Q) or R
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Having problems this proof

Suppose that $\phi$ proves if $\alpha$ then $\neg\beta$ and that $\phi$ proves $\beta$. Can we infer anything from $\phi$?
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