Simple Logic Rules
Simple Logic Rules
1. Assumption Rule
You are free to assume anything you like at any time as long as you
do these things:
1. Use curly brackets and indentation to keep track of what you have
assumed.
2. Discharge the assumption with the rules that start with the words
[If you assume ...]
(Discharging an assumption just means you close the curly brackets
and stop indenting. So you can forget about the assumption.)
2. Repetition
If you have:
X
Then you are entitled to:
X
If you have:
X
And you have:
Y
Then you are entitled to:
(X ^ Y)
4. ^ elimination (Simplification)
If you have;
(X ^ Y)
Then you are entitled to:
X
Or, if you prefer, you are also entitled to:
Y
If you have:
X
Then you are entitled to:
(X v Y)
And you are also entitled to:
(Y v X)
6. v elimination
If you have:
(X v Y)
And you have:
(X -> Z)
And you have:
(Y -> Z)
Then you are entitled to:
Z
7. -> introduction
If you assume:
X
And then, on that assumption, you derive:
Y
Then you can discharge the assumption you made at X and then you are
entitled to:
(X -> Y)
If you have:
(X -> Y)
And you have:
X
Then you are entitled to:
Y
9. <-> introduction
If you have:
(X -> Y)
And you have:
(Y -> X)
Then you are entitled to:
(X <-> Y)
10. <-> elimination
If you have:
(X <-> Y)
And you have:
X
Then you are entitled to:
Y
OR
If you have:
(X <-> Y)
And you have:
Y
Then you are entitled to:
X
If you assume:
X
And, from that, you conclude a contradiction, such as:
Y
And
~Y (write it as: (y ^ ~y) if you want)
Then you can conclude that your assumption was false, and that:
~X
must be true
If you assume:
~X
And, from that, you conclude a contradiction, such as:
Y
And
~Y (write it as: (y ^ ~y) if you want)
Then you can conclude that your assumption was false, and that:
X
must be true
Rules With Latin Names
1. Modus Ponens
This is just what we've been calling “ -> elimination “
If you have:
(X -> Y)
And you have:
X
Then you are entitled to:
Y
2. Modus Tollens *
This law is just the flip side of modus ponens.
If you have:
(X -> Y)
And you have:
~Y
Then you are entitled to:
~X
6. Disjunctive Syllogism *
If you have:
(X v Y)
And you have:
~X
Then you can conclude:
Y
If you assume:
X
And, from that, you conclude a contradiction, such as:
(Y ^ ~Y)
Then you can conclude that your assumption was false, and that:
~X
must be true
8. Double Negation *
If you have:
~~X
Then you can conclude - or it is equivalent to:
X
9. Switcheroo *
If you have:
(X v Y)
Then you can conclude - or it is equivalent to:
(~X -> Y)
10. Disjunctive Addition
This is just what we've been calling "v introduction."
If you have:
X
Then you are entitled to:
(X v Y)
And you are also entitled to:
(Y v X)
11. Simplification
This is just what we've been calling "^ elimination."
If you have:
(X ^ Y)
Then you are entitled to:
X
Or, if you prefer, you are also entitled to:
Y
If you have:
X
And you have:
Y
Then you are entitled to:
(X ^ Y)