Review: Categorical Logic

Four categorical propositions Venn diagram

Rules for validity check

- Draw 2 circles at bottom, one on top

- Label 2 classes in conclusion at bottom
- Perform only two actions for 2 premises
- Check validity:
+ Action for conclusion already done: Valid
Stylistic variants + Action for conclusion not yet done: Invalid
All S are P: words of extremes, positive forms
No S are P: words of extremes, negative forms
Some S are P: more than one → nearly all, positive forms
Some S are not P: more than one → nearly all, negative forms
 Question 1 - Faulty
If a student skips a weekly lecture, he/she has to read the textbook by
himself/herself.
Students self-reading the textbook can skip important contents.
So, most students who do not attend weekly lectures skip important contents.

Standardized argument: Venn diagram

All students skipping weekly lectures are self readers of textbooks.

Some self readers of textbooks are people skipping important
contents.
So, some students skipping weekly lectures are people skipping
important contents.

Symbolic argument:
 Question 1 – Fixed
If a student skips a weekly lecture, he/she has to read the textbook by
himself/herself.
Students self-reading the textbook can skip important contents.
So, most students who don’t attend weekly lectures don’t skip important contents.

Standardized argument: Venn diagram

- All skippers (S) of weekly lectures are textbook
readers (R)
- Some textbook readers (R) are content
skippers (C)
- So, some skippers (S) of weekly lectures are not
content skippers (C)

Symbolic argument:
- All S are R
- Some R are C
- So, some S are not C
 Question 2 - Faulty
Not a student who wants easy quizzes wants to think deeply.
In some cases, those who want easy quizzes may score high.
So, several students who don’t want to think deeply can get high scores.

Standardized argument: Venn diagram

Symbolic argument:

Conclusion:
 Question 2 – Fixed by students
Not a student who wants easy quizzes wants to think deeply.
In some cases, those who want easy quizzes may score high.
So, several students who don’t want to think deeply can get high scores.

Venn diagram
Standardized argument:
- No students who want easy quizzes (S) are
those who want to think deeply (D).
- Some students who want easy quizzes (S)
are the ones who get high scores (H).
- So, some students who get high scores are
not those who want to think deeply.

Symbolic argument:
- No S are D
- Some S are H
- So, some H are not D Conclusion: VALID
 Question 2 - Fixed
Not a student who wants easy quizzes wants to think deeply.
In some cases, those who want easy quizzes may score high.
So, several students who want to think deeply cannot get high scores.

Standardized argument: Venn diagram

No students who want easy quizzes (E) are deep thinkers (D).

Some students who want easy quizzes(E) are high scorers (H).

So, some deep thinkers (D) are not high scorers (H).

Symbolic argument:

No E are D

Some E are H

So, some D are not H

 Question 3 – contributed by students

Whatever club you attend, you can build some soft skills. If you build your soft
skills now, you will definitely become efficient professionals later. So if you
attend at least one club now, you will be more effective at work later.

Standardized argument: Venn diagram

All club attenders are soft skills builders.
All soft skills builders are efficient workers.
So, all club attenders are efficient workers.

Symbolic argument:
All C are S
All S are E
So all C are E Conclusion: valid argument
 Question 4 – contributed by students

Create a categorical syllogism: 1) with both premises in the stylistic forms and the conclusion in the standard form, and 2) about the topic of Quiz 1 questions/your result. Then
check its validity using Venn diagram.

Stylistic argument:
Venn diagram

Standardized argument:

All Quiz 1 questions (G) are challenging questions

(H).
Some Quiz 1 questions (G) are correctly answered
ones. (C)
So, some challenging questions (H) in Quiz 1 are
correctly answered ones (C).

Symbolic argument:
All (G) are (H).
Some (G) are (C).
So, some (H) are (C).
Conclusion: valid
 Question 4
Create a categorical syllogism: 1) with both premises in the stylistic forms and the conclusion in the standard form, and 2) about the topic of Quiz 1 questions/your result. Then
check its validity using Venn diagram.

Stylistic argument:

All questions in Quiz 1 are difficult.

Some question that appeared on Quiz 1 will be in the mid-term exam.
So, some question in the final exam will be difficult. Venn diagram

Standardized argument:

All Quiz 1 questions (Q) are difficult question (D).

Some Quiz 1 questions are mid-term exam questions (M).
So, some mid-term exam questions are difficult questions.

Symbolic argument:
All Q are D.
Some Q are M.
So, some M are D.
Conclusion: valid argument
 Question 5 – contributed by students

Create a categorical syllogism 1) with the premises containing All & Some and the conclusion containing No, 2) all three statements must be the stylistic variants, and 3) about
the topic of gains/losses of a semester with more than 20 credits. Then standardize it and check its validity using Venn diagram.

Stylistic argument:
- Many IU students do not fail the course
Venn diagram
- Every IU student takes more than 20
credits
- So, no one who fails the course takes
more than 20 credits.
Standardized argument:
- Some IU students are not students who
fail the course.
- All IU students are the ones who take
more than 20 credits.
- So, no students who fail the course are
the ones who take more than 20 credits.
Symbolic argument:
- Some IU are not F
- All IU are C
- So, no F are C
 Chapter 10

Propositional Logic
A simple language useful for showing key ideas and definitions

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 Review: Proposition
• The term proposition is sometimes used synonymously
with statement:
- As a simple unit, it expresses a complete idea which
can be evaluated as true or false.
Example: HCM International University is a public university.

- As a more complex unit, it combines several

statements which can be evaluated as true or false.

Example: HCM International University is a public university and

RMIT is a public university.
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 Contents
Four types of propositions

1. Conjunction
2. Negation
3. Disjunction
4. Conditional statements

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 Symbolic connectives

Statements are combined by connectives: 

&/ and Conjunction

˜/ not Negation

 or Disjunction

 if
Implication/conditional

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 Variables and examples of PL statements
Variables: Propositional symbols assigned to different
parts of the argument.

P&Q It is hot and it is humid.

Example:
P & ~Q It is hot but it’s not humid.
P: It is hot.
Q: It is humid. QP If it is humid, then it is hot.
R: It is raining.
PvQ It is hot or it is humid.

(P& Q)  R If it is hot and humid, then it is

raining.
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 1. CONJUNCTION (&/and)
• A statement can be regarded as true or false (truth
values).
• A simple statement: a simple sentence regarded as true
or false.
Example: IU is a university.
• A compound statement: two or more statements
regarded as true or false.
Example: Summer is hot and winter is cold.
It is hot and humid.
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 1. CONJUNCTION – Truth table
Summer is hot and winter is cold.
p q
p q p&q
T T T
T F F
F T F
F F F

Note: ‘and’ can be replaced with but, yet, while,

whereas, although, though, however
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Truth table for two variables Truth table for three variables

p q A B C
T T T T T
T F T T F
T F T
F T
T F F
F F
F T T
F T F
F F T
F F F

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 EXERCISE

Without knowing what they represent, assume that:

- p, q, r are true
- w, x, y are false
Determine whether each of the following is true or false.

1. p & q 2. p & w
3. x & y 4. r & q
5. r & y 6. y & w
7. x & w 8. q & r
9. p & y 10. r & p
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 1. Conjunction and validity
Rule of validity:
- In a valid argument, it is impossible for all the
premises to be true and the conclusion false.
- If any instance of all true premises is followed by a
false conclusion - an F under the conclusion column -
the argument is invalid.
p q p&q
T T T
T F F
F T F
F F F 20
 1. CONJUNCTION – Validity
The sky is blue. (p)
The grass is green. (q)
Therefore, the sky is blue and the grass is green.

p q p&q
T T T
T F F
F T F
F F F

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 1. CONJUNCTION – Validity

The sky is blue (p).

The grass is green (q).
Therefore, the sky is blue and the grass is green.

Symbolic argument:
p* q* p&q C
p
q____ T T T
So, p & q T F F
F T F
F F
F

* The argument is valid. 22

 1. CONJUNCTION – Validity
The grass is green (p).
Therefore, the grass is green (p) and the sky is blue (q).

Symbolic argument:

p p* q p&q C
p&q T T T
T F F
F T F
F F
F
* The argument is invalid.
23
 1. CONJUNCTION – Validity
Tom is short and fat.
Therefore, Tom is short.

Symbolic argument:

p&q pC q p&q*
p T T T
T F F
F T F
F F
F

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 1. CONJUNCTION – Validity
Tom is short and fat.
Therefore, Tom is short.
p q p&q*
pC
Symbolic argument:

p&q T T T T
p T F F T
F T F F
F F F
F

Let’sThe argument
repeat is valid.
the p column in the right.
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 Exercise – Testing validity

- p&q
.
. .q

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 CONJUNCTION – Testing validity
- p&q
.
. .q

p q p&q*
qC
T T T T
T F F F
F T F T
F F F
The argument
F is valid. 27
 2. NEGATION
• The use of not to deny a proposition.

Example:

- Tina is tall. (p)

- Tina is not tall. ( ˜p)

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 2. NEGATION

p q ˜p ˜q

T T F F
T F F T
F T T F
F F T T

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 NEGATION: Testing validity
Tina is not tall, but Sarah is tall. So, Tina is not tall.
Symbolic argument: ˜p & q
˜p

p q ˜p ˜p&q*
˜p C
T T F F
F
T F F F
F
F T
The argument is valid.
T T
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 2. NEGATION: Testing validity (2)
Frank does not drive a truck.
So, Frank does not drive a truck, and Vinny does not drive a van.
Symbolic argument: ˜p
. ˜q
˜p &

p q ˜p* ˜q ˜p&
˜qC

T T F F F
T F F T F
Invalid
F T T F F 31
 3. DISJUNCTION
Two or more statements set apart, usually by the word or.
Example:
- Frank is angry or Hank is tired. (p v q)
- For propositional logic, or has non-exclusive sense.
This means the statement is true if either Frank is angry
or Hank is tired.
p q pvq
T T T
T F T
F T T
F F F 32
 3. DISJUNCTION – truth table
– Frank is angry or Hank is tired.
– So, Frank is angry.

Symbolic form and the truth table:

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 DISJUNCTION and NEGATION – truth table
– Frank is not angry or Hank is tired.

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 DISJUNCTION and NEGATION – truth table

– Frank is not angry or Hank is not tired.

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 DISJUNCTION and NEGATION – truth table

It’s not the case that Frank is angry or Hank is tired.

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 CONJUNCTION, NEGATION & DISJUNCTION
It’s not the case that Frank is angry or Hank is tired.
So, Frank is not angry and Hank is not tired.
Symbolic argument:

Let’s set up the truth table:

37
 CONJUNCTION, NEGATION & DISJUNCTION
It’s not the case that Frank is angry or Hank is tired.
So, Frank is not angry and Hank is not tired.

Symbolic argument form:

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 CONJUNCTION, NEGATION & DISJUNCTION
Consider an argument with three variables that involves
disjunction, negation, and conjunction:

Frank is angry or Hank is tired.

It’s not the case that Hank is tired and Larry is lonely.
So, Hank is tired.

Symbolic argument:

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 CONJUNCTION, NEGATION & DISJUNCTION

Frank is angry or Hank is tired.

It’s not the case that Hank is tired and Larry is lonely.
So, Hank is tired.

Invalid

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 4. CONDITIONAL STATEMENTS
• If-then statements consisting of 2 parts:
antecedent and consequent.

Example:
– If it rained, then the ground is wet. (p  q)
p q pq

T T T
T F F
F T T
F F T
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 4. CONDITIONAL STATEMENTS

If it rained, then the ground is wet.

It rained.
So, the ground is wet.
Symbolic argument:

Truth table:

Valid

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Summary of conjunction (p & q), negation ~(p&q),
disjunction (p v q) and conditional statement (pq)

p q ~p ~q p&q ~(p&q) pvq p q

T T F F T F T T

T F F T F T T F

F T T F F T T T

F F T T F T F T

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 Review
1. Propositions/arguments with 2 variables: a true table of 4 lines
2. Propositions/arguments with 3 variables: a true table of 8 lines
3. For propositions, only set up the truth table.

4. For arguments, check validity:

- ONLY check the critical rows where all premise values are true, then
look for the conclusion values
- If all conclusion values are true: valid
- If at least one conclusion value is false: invalid

*Note: Check the critical rows top down: True -> go on; False -> stop
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 PRACTICE

Convert each statement into symbolic form

and generate its truth table.

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 1. The weather is beautiful outside but we cannot enjoy it.

Let: Symbolic form:

W: the weather is beautiful outside W & ~E

E: we can enjoy it W E

T T

T F

F T

F F
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 1. The weather is beautiful outside but we cannot enjoy it.

Let: Symbolic form:

W: the weather is beautiful outside W & ~E

E: we can enjoy it W E ~
E W & ~E

T T F F

T F T T

F T F F

F F T F
47
2. If you want a good score but you don’t make efforts, your want
is just wishful thinking.

Let: Symbolic form:

G: you want a good score
E: you make efforts
G & ˜E  W
W: your want is just wishful thinking
G E W
T T T
T T F
T F T
T F F
F T T
F T F
F F T
F F F 48
2. If you want a good score but you don’t make efforts, your want
is just wishful thinking.

Let: Symbolic form:

G: you want a good score
G & ˜E  W
E: you make efforts
W: your want is just wishful thinking
G E W ˜E G & ˜E G & ˜E  W
T T T F F T
T T F F F T
T F T T T T
T F F T T F
F T T F F T
F T F F F T
F F T T F T
F F F T F T 49
3. If we don’t revise the lesson contents, we will fail the midterm exam and our
course scores will be low.

Let:
R: we revise the lesson contents Symbolic form:
F: we will fail the midterm exam ˜R  F & S

S: our course scores will be low

R F S
T T T
T T F
T F T
T F F
F T T
F T F
F F T
F F F
50
3. If we don’t revise the lesson contents, we will fail the midterm exam and our
course scores will be low.

Let:
R: we revise the lesson contents Symbolic form:
F: we will fail the midterm exam ˜R  F & S

S: our course scores will be low

R F S ˜R F&S ˜R  F & S

T T T F T T
T T F F F T
T F T F F T
T F F F F T
F T T T T T
F T F T F F
F F T T F F
F F F T F F

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Exercise 4: Test validity of the argument

52
4A. If the pandemic doesn’t end or we will study online again next semester,
life is not fun for us at all. The pandemic does not end yet but we will not study
online again next semester. So, life is fun for us.
Let:
Symbolic argument:
E: the pandemic ends
˜E v S  ˜F
S: we study online again next semester
∴F
˜E & ˜S
F: life is fun for us
E S F
T T T
T T F
T F T
T F F
F T T
F T F
F F T
F F F

In/valid 53
4A. If the pandemic doesn’t end or we will study online again next semester,
life is not fun for us at all. The pandemic does not end yet but we will not study
online again next semester. So, life is fun for us.
Let:
Symbolic argument:
E: the pandemic ends
˜E v S  ˜F
S: we study online next semester
˜E & ˜S
F: life is fun for us
∴F
E S F ˜E ˜S ˜F ˜EvS ˜EvS ˜F* ˜E&˜S* FC

T T T F F F T F F T
T T F F F T T T F F
T F T F T F F T F T
T F F F T T F T F F
F T T T F F T F F T
F T F T F T T T F F
F F T T T F T F T T
F F F T T T T T T F

Invalid 54
 4B. If our teacher checks attendance, absentees will be recorded and they will be
prohibited from the exam. Our teacher doesn’t check attendance, so absentees will
still take the exam.

T = teacher checks attendance Symbolic argument:

R = absentees will be recorded TR&P
P = absentees will be prohibited
~T
∴ ~P
T R P

T T T
T T F
T F T
T F F
F T T
F T F
In/valid
F F T
F F F
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 4B. If our teacher checks attendance, absentees will be recorded and they will be
prohibited from the exam. Our teacher doesn’t check attendance, so absentees will
still take the exam.

T = teacher checks attendance

Symbolic argument:
R = absentees will be recorded TR&P
P = absentees will be prohibited ~T
∴~P
T R P ~T* ~PC R&P T  R & P*

T T T F F T T
T T F F T F F
T F T F F F F
T F F F T F F
F T T T F T T Invalid
F T F T T F T
F F T T F F T
F F F T T F T 56
4C. My girlfriend's phone at work is busy. My best friend's phone is also busy. If they are talking
to each other, then both phones are busy. So, my girlfriend and my best friend are talking to each
other over the phone.
Symbolic argument:
G = My girlfriend’s phone at work is busy G
B = My best friend’s phone at work is busy B

∴T
T = My girlfriend & best friend talk to each other TG&B

G* B* T
T T T

T T F

T F T In/valid
T F F

F T T

F T F

F F T

F F F

57
4C. My girlfriend's phone at work is busy. My best friend's phone is also busy. If they are talking
to each other, then both phones are busy. So, my girlfriend and my best friend are talking to each
other over the phone.
Symbolic argument:
G = My girlfriend’s phone at work is busy G
B = My best friend’s phone at work is busy B
T = My girlfriend & best friend talk to each other TG&B
∴T

G* B* T G&B T  G & B* TC

T T T T T T

T T F T T F
Invalid
T F T F F T

T F F F T F

F T T F F T

F T F F T F

F F T F F T

F F F F T F

58
4D. If Group A doesn’t do the assignment, Group B doesn’t do it, either. If these
groups don’t do it, other groups will get the bonus points. So, if one of these groups
doesn’t do the assignment, other groups will get the bonus points.
Symbolic argument:
A = Group A does the assignment
B = Group B does the assignment ~A  ~B
G = other groups get the bonus points
~A & ~B  G

Invalid line 4 ∴ ~A v ~B  G
A B G ~A ~B ~A&~B ~A~B * ~A&~B  G * ~A v ~B ~A&~B  G C

T T T F F F T T F T

T T F F F F T F F F

T F T F T F T T T T

T F F F T F T T T F

F T T T F F F T T T

F T F T F F F T T F

F F T T T T T T T T

F F F T T T T F T F

Invalid 59
4D. If Group A doesn’t do the assignment, Group B doesn’t do it, either. If these
groups don’t do it, other groups will get the bonus points. So, if one of these groups
doesn’t do the assignment, other groups will get the bonus points.
Symbolic argument:
A = Group A does the assignment
B = Group B does the assignment ~A  ~B
G = other groups get the bonus points
~A & ~B  G
∴ ~A v ~B  G
A B G ~A ~B ~A  ~B* ~A & ~B ~ A & ~ B  G* ~Av ~ B ~ A v ~ B  GC

T T T F F T F T F T

T T F F F T F F F T

T F T F T T F T T T

T F F F T T F T T F

F T T T F F F T T T

F T F T F F F T T F

F F T T T T T T T T

F F F T F F F T T T

Invalid 60
 ASSIGNMENT

Instructions:
- The question “Who’s the thief?” is optional. Your weekly assignment includes
5 tasks that follow.
- Delete all the lesson slides and keep only the Assignment slides to resubmit.

Link to submit:

https://forms.gle/PAyMVydhFZowGKh86
Names of your group
 OPTIONAL QUESTION

Who’s the thief?

A theft was committed by one of the 9 people (called One to
Nine) but the police don’t know who did it. Here are their
answers when questioned:
– One: Five is the thief.
– Two: No, it’s not true!
– Three: I did it.
– Four: Either Three or Eight is the thief.
– Five: Two said the wrong thing!
– Six: Three is the thief.
– Seven: No, Three is not the thief.
– Eight: I’m not the thief, and Three is not, either.
– Nine: What Eight says is correct, but Five is not the thief, either.

If only 3 out of 9 statements are true, who could be the thief?

63
Task 1: If you take the elevator (E) to the second floor or push your friends (P), you
will go to the Confessions page (C). It’s not the case that you ride the elevator that way
but you don’t go to the Confession page. So if you push your friends, you go to the
Confessions page.
Let: Symbolic argument:

Truth table Add/Delete columns to suit your argument.

Invalid
Task 2: If a students does either quiz before the midterm exam, his/her quiz score will
be halved. Some students do Quiz 1 and others do Quiz 2 before the midterm exam. So
their quiz average will not be halved if they do both quizzes.

Let: Symbolic argument:

Truth table Add/Delete columns to suit your argument.

Conclusion:
Task 3: If we don’t do group assignments carefully but we do textbook exercises well,
we’ll be well prepared for the mid-term exam. It’s not the case that we do group
assignments carefully but we don’t do all textbook exercises. So, we’ll get ready for the
mid-term exam if we do them both.
Let Symbolic argument

Truth table Add/Delete columns to suit your argument.

Conclusion
Task 4: Create a propositional argument about the topic of one good/bad thing in student life with three variables, including at least a disjunction, a negation of a conjunction and a conditional statement, then turn it into the symbolic argument and evaluate its
validity.

Your argument
Truth table

Symbolic argument Add/Delete columns to suit your argument.

Conclusion
 Task 5: Create a propositional argument a current trend with three variables including at least a conjunction, disjunction, a negation, and a conditional statement, then turn it into the symbolic argument and evaluate its validity using the truth table.

Your argument

Truth table
Let
Add/Delete columns to suit your argument.

Symbolic argument

Conclusion:
Attendance check – Week 6

69
Thank you 

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