Propositional Logic:
Formal Deduction
Alice Gao
Lecture 7
CS 245 Logic and Computation Fall 2019 1 / 15
Outline
Learning goals
Motivation for formal deduction
Rules of formal deduction
Revisiting the Learning Goals
CS 245 Logic and Computation Fall 2019 2 / 15
Outline
Learning goals
Motivation for formal deduction
Rules of formal deduction
Revisiting the Learning Goals
CS 245 Logic and Computation Fall 2019 3 / 15
Learning goals
By the end of this lecture, you should be able to
▶ Describe rules of inference for natural deduction.
▶ Prove that a conclusion follows from a set of premises using
rules of formal deduction.
CS 245 Logic and Computation Fall 2019 4 / 15
Outline
Learning goals
Motivation for formal deduction
Rules of formal deduction
Revisiting the Learning Goals
CS 245 Logic and Computation Fall 2019 5 / 15
Why study formal deduction?
▶ Want to prove that a conclusion can be deduced from a set of
premises.
▶ Want to generate a proof that can be checked mechanically.
CS 245 Logic and Computation Fall 2019 6 / 15
Formal Deducibility
Let the relation of formal deducibility be denoted by
Σ ⊢ 𝐴,
which means that 𝐴 is formally deducible (or provable) from Σ.
Comments:
▶ Σ is a set of formulas, which are the premises.
▶ 𝐴 is a formula, which is the conclusion.
▶ Formal deducibility is concerned with the syntactic structure
of formulas.
CS 245 Logic and Computation Fall 2019 7 / 15
Outline
Learning goals
Motivation for formal deduction
Rules of formal deduction
Revisiting the Learning Goals
CS 245 Logic and Computation Fall 2019 8 / 15
Rules of Formal Deduction
▶ Reflexivity (Ref):
𝐴 ⊢ 𝐴.
▶ Addition of premises (+):
if Σ ⊢ 𝐴,
then Σ, Σ′ ⊢ 𝐴.
▶ (∈):
if 𝐴 ∈ Σ,
then Σ ⊢ 𝐴.
CS 245 Logic and Computation Fall 2019 9 / 15
Conjunction Rules
And introduction (∧+) And elimination (∧−)
if Σ ⊢ 𝐴, if Σ ⊢ 𝐴 ∧ 𝐵,
Σ ⊢ 𝐵, then Σ ⊢ 𝐴.
then Σ ⊢ 𝐴 ∧ 𝐵. if Σ ⊢ 𝐴 ∧ 𝐵,
then Σ ⊢ 𝐵.
CS 245 Logic and Computation Fall 2019 10 / 15
Disjunction Rules
Or introduction (∨+) Or elimination (∨−)
if Σ ⊢ 𝐴, if Σ, 𝐴 ⊢ 𝐶,
then Σ ⊢ 𝐴 ∨ 𝐵. Σ, 𝐵 ⊢ 𝐶,
if Σ ⊢ 𝐵, then Σ, 𝐴 ∨ 𝐵 ⊢ 𝐶.
then Σ ⊢ 𝐴 ∨ 𝐵.
CS 245 Logic and Computation Fall 2019 11 / 15
Negation Rules
Negation introduction (¬+) Negation elimination (¬−)
if Σ, 𝐴 ⊢ 𝐵, if Σ, ¬𝐴 ⊢ 𝐵,
Σ, 𝐴 ⊢ ¬𝐵, Σ, ¬𝐴 ⊢ ¬𝐵,
then Σ ⊢ ¬𝐴. then Σ ⊢ 𝐴.
CS 245 Logic and Computation Fall 2019 12 / 15
Implication Rules
Implication introduction Implication elimination
(→ +) (→ −)
if Σ, 𝐴 ⊢ 𝐵, if Σ ⊢ 𝐴,
then Σ ⊢ 𝐴 → 𝐵. Σ ⊢ 𝐴 → 𝐵,
then Σ ⊢ 𝐵.
CS 245 Logic and Computation Fall 2019 13 / 15
Equivalence Rules
Equivalence introduction Equivalence elimination
(↔ +) (↔ −)
if Σ, 𝐴 ⊢ 𝐵, if Σ ⊢ 𝐴,
Σ, 𝐵 ⊢ 𝐴, Σ ⊢ 𝐴 ↔ 𝐵,
then Σ ⊢ 𝐴 ↔ 𝐵. then Σ ⊢ 𝐵.
if Σ ⊢ 𝐵,
Σ ⊢ 𝐴 ↔ 𝐵,
then Σ ⊢ 𝐴.
CS 245 Logic and Computation Fall 2019 14 / 15
Revisting the Learning Goals
By the end of this lecture, you should be able to
▶ Describe rules of inference for natural deduction.
▶ Prove that a conclusion follows from a set of premises using
rules of formal deduction.
CS 245 Logic and Computation Fall 2019 15 / 15
