The Algebra of Logic Tradition

The algebra of logic, as an explicit algebraic system showing the underlying mathematical structure of logic, was introduced by George Boole (1815-1864) in his book The Mathematical Analysis of Logic (1847). The methodology initiated by Boole was successfully continued in the 19th century in the work of William Stanley Jevons (1835-1882), Charles Sanders Peirce (1839-1914), Ernst Schröder (1841-1902), among many others, thereby establishing a tradition in (mathematical) logic. From Boole's first book until the influence after WWI of the monumental work Principia Mathematica (1910 1913) by Alfred North Whitehead (1861-1947) and Bertrand Russell (1872-1970), versions of thealgebra of logic were the most developed form of mathematical above allthrough Schröder's three volumes Vorlesungen über die Algebra der Logik(1890-1905). Furthermore, this tradition motivated the investigations of Leopold Löwenheim (1878-1957) that eventually gave rise to model theory. Inaddition, in 1941, Alfred Tarski (1901-1983) in his paper On the calculus of relations returned to Peirce's relation algebra as presented in Schröder's Algebra der Logik. The tradition of the algebra of logic played a key role in thenotion of Logic as Calculus as opposed to the notion of Logic as Universal Language . Beyond Tarski's algebra of relations, the influence of the algebraic tradition in logic can be found in other mathematical theories, such as category theory. However this influence lies outside the scope of this entry, which is divided into 10 sections.Fil: Burris, Stanley. University of Waterloo; CanadáFil: Legris, Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Saavedra 15. Instituto Interdisciplinario de Economía Politica de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Económicas. Instituto Interdisciplinario de Economía Politica de Buenos Aires; Argentin

Boundary Algebra: A Simpler Approach to Boolean Algebra and the Sentential Connectives

Boundary algebra [BA] is a algebra of type , and a simplified notation for Spencer-Brown’s (1969) primary algebra. The syntax of the primary arithmetic [PA] consists of two atoms, () and the blank page, concatenation, and enclosure between ‘(‘ and ‘)’, denoting the primitive notion of distinction. Inserting letters denoting, indifferently, the presence or absence of () into a PA formula yields a BA formula. The BA axioms are A1: ()()= (), and A2: “(()) [abbreviated ‘⊥’] may be written or erased at will,” implying (⊥)=(). The repeated application of A1 and A2 simplifies any PA formula to either () or ⊥. The basis for BA is B1: abc=bca (concatenation commutes & associates); B2, ⊥a=a (BA has a lower bound, ⊥); B3, (a)a=() (BA is a complemented lattice); and B4, (ba)a=(b)a (implies that BA is a distributive lattice). BA has two intended models: (1) the Boolean algebra 2 with base set B={(),⊥}, such that () ⇔ 1 [dually 0], (a) ⇔ a′, and ab ⇔ a∪b [a∩b]; and (2) sentential logic, such that () ⇔ true [false], (a) ⇔ ~a, and ab ⇔ a∨b [a∧b]. BA is a self-dual notation, facilitates a calculational style of proof, and simplifies clausal reasoning and Quine’s truth value analysis. BA resembles C.S. Peirce’s graphical logic, the symbolic logics of Leibniz and W.E. Johnson, the 2 notation of Byrne (1946), and the Boolean term schemata of Quine (1982).Boundary algebra; boundary logic; primary algebra; primary arithmetic; Boolean algebra; calculation proof; G. Spencer-Brown; C.S. Peirce; existential graphs

Proof Terms for Generalized Natural Deduction

In previous work it has been shown how to generate natural deduction rules for propositional connectives from truth tables, both for classical and constructive logic. The present paper extends this for the constructive case with proof-terms, thereby extending the Curry-Howard isomorphism to these new connectives. A general notion of conversion of proofs is defined, both as a conversion of derivations and as a reduction of proof-terms. It is shown how the well-known rules for natural deduction (Gentzen, Prawitz) and general elimination rules (Schroeder-Heister, von Plato, and others), and their proof conversions can be found as instances. As an illustration of the power of the method, we give constructive rules for the nand logical operator (also called Sheffer stroke). As usual, conversions come in two flavours: either a detour conversion arising from a detour convertibility, where an introduction rule is immediately followed by an elimination rule, or a permutation conversion arising from an permutation convertibility, an elimination rule nested inside another elimination rule. In this paper, both are defined for the general setting, as conversions of derivations and as reductions of proof-terms. The properties of these are studied as proof-term reductions. As one of the main contributions it is proved that detour conversion is strongly normalizing and permutation conversion is strongly normalizing: no matter how one reduces, the process eventually terminates. Furthermore, the combination of the two conversions is shown to be weakly normalizing: one can always reduce away all convertibilities

From mathematics in logic to logic in mathematics : Boole and Frege

This project proceeds from the premise that the historical and logical value of Boole's logical calculus and its connection with Frege's logic remain to be recognised. It begins by discussing Gillies' application of Kuhn's concepts to the history oflogic and proposing the use of the concept of research programme as a methodological tool in the historiography oflogic. Then it analyses'the development of mathematical logic from Boole to Frege in terms of overlapping research programmes whilst discussing especially Boole's logical calculus. Two streams of development run through the project: 1. A discussion and appraisal of Boole's research programme in the context of logical debates and the emergence of symbolical algebra in Britain in the nineteenth century, including the improvements which Venn brings to logic as algebra, and the axiomatisation of 'Boolean algebras', which is due to Huntington and Sheffer. 2. An investigation of the particularity of the Fregean research programme, including an analysis ofthe extent to which certain elements of Begriffsschrift are new; and an account of Frege's discussion of Boole which focuses on the domain common to the two formal languages and shows the logical connection between Boole's logical calculus and Frege's. As a result, it is shown that the progress made in mathematical logic stemmed from two continuous and overlapping research programmes: Boole's introduction ofmathematics in logic and Frege's introduction oflogic in mathematics. In particular, Boole is regarded as the grandfather of metamathematics, and Lowenheim's theorem ofl915 is seen as a revival of his research programme

ProverX: rewriting and extending prover9

O propósito principal deste projecto é tornar o demonstrador automático de teoremas Prover9 programável e, por conseguinte, extensível. Este propósito foi conseguido acrescentando um interpretador de Python, uma linha de comandos e uma biblioteca de módulos, objectos e funções escritos em Python para interagir com ficheiros de Prover9 e Mace4. Foi também criada uma “interface” gráfica de utilizador (GUI) sob a forma de uma aplicação web para trazer aos utilizadores um meio mais eficiente e rápido de trabalhar com demonstrações automáticas de teoremas. A nova biblioteca de “scripting” oferece aos utilizadores novas funcionalidades tais como correr várias sessões simultâneas de Prover9 parando automaticamente quando uma demonstração (ou um contraexemplo) é encontrada, elaborar estratégias para aumentar a velocidade com que as demonstrações são encontradas ou diminuir o tamanho das mesmas. Outro módulo permite interagir com o sistema de álgebra GAP. Sobre esta biblioteca, muitas outras funcionalidades podem ser facilmente acrescentadas pois o objectivo principal é dar aos utilizadores a capacidade de acrescentar novas funcionalidades ao Prover9. Resumindo, o objectivo deste projecto é oferecer à comunidade matemática um ambiente integrado para trabalhar com demonstração automática de teoremas.The primary purpose of this project is to extend Prover9 with a scripting language. This was achieved by adding a Python interpreter, an interactive command line and a special scripting library to interact with Prover9 and Mace4 files. A user interface in the form of a web application was also created to help users achieve a more rapid and efficient way of working with automated theorem proving. The new scripting library offers utilities that allows a user to run several Prover9 sessions concurrently and to create strategies for increasing the effectiveness of the proof search or to search for shorter proofs. Another module allows to interact with the algebra system GAP. Based on the library, many more functionalities can be easily added, as the main goal is to give users the ability to extend the functionality of Prover9 the way they see fit. In conclusion, the aim of this project is to offer to the mathematical community an integrated environment for working with automated reasonin

Ego balloon experiment data processor

Ego balloon experiment data processo

On the complexity of minimizing median normal forms of monotone Boolean functions and lattice polynomials

International audienceIn this document, we consider a median-based calculus to represent monotone Boolean functions efficiently. We study an equa-tional specification of median forms and extend it from the domain of monotone Boolean functions to the domain of polynomial functions over distributive lattices. This specification is sound and complete. We illustrate its usefulness when simplifying median formulas algebraically. Furthermore, we propose a definition of median normal forms (MNF), that are thought of as minimal median formulas with respect to a structural ordering of expressions. We investigate related complexity issues and show that the problem of deciding whether a formula is in MNF, that is the problem of minimizing the median form of a monotone Boolean function, is in Σ P 2. Moreover, we show that it still holds for arbitrary Boolean functions, not necessarily monotone