Logic in Computer Science

Prof. Tathagata Ray

Associate Professor, BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus
rayt@hyderabad.bits-pilani.ac.in
BITS Pilani
Hyderabad Campus
Natural Deduction

• In natural deduction we use a collection of rules.

• By applying these rules in succession, we may infer a

conclusion from a set of premises.

• Suppose we have a set of formulas/premises 𝜙1 , 𝜙2 , . . , 𝜙𝑛 ,

and another formula ψ, which we call conclusion.
• By applying proof rules to the premises, we hope to get
some more formulas, and by applying more proof rules to
those, to eventually obtain the conclusion.
• 𝜙1 , 𝜙2 , . . , 𝜙𝑛 ⊢ 𝜓
• This expression is called a sequent.
• A sequent is valid if a proof for it can be found.
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Our first rule: The rule of
Conjunction
The rule of conjunction(∧): We can conclude 𝜙 ∧ 𝜓 given
that we have already concluded 𝜙 and 𝜓 separately.

How to write? premises

𝜙 𝜓 And introduction
∧𝑖
𝜙∧𝜓
conclusion

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The rule of Conjunction

• Just like the rule to introduce conjunction, there are two

rules to eliminate

𝜙∧𝜓
• ∧ 𝑒1 : if you have a proof of 𝜙 ∧ 𝜓, then by applying
𝜙
this rule you can get a proof of 𝜙.

𝜙∧𝜓
• ∧ 𝑒2 : if you have a proof of 𝜙 ∧ 𝜓, then by applying
𝜓
this rule you can get a proof of 𝜓.

Be careful with the pattern and invoke the right rule

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Example

• Prove 𝑝 ∧ 𝑞, 𝑟 ⊢ 𝑞 ∧ 𝑟 is valid.

• 1: 𝑝 ∧ 𝑞 premise
• 2: 𝑟 premise
• 3: 𝑞 ∧ 𝑒2 1
• 4: 𝑞 ∧ 𝑟 ∧ 𝑖 3,2

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Exercise

• Prove 𝑝 ∧ 𝑞 ∧ 𝑟, 𝑠 ∧ 𝑡 ⊢ 𝑞 ∧ 𝑠 is valid.

• 1: (𝑝 ∧ 𝑞) ∧ 𝑟 premise
• 2: 𝑠 ∧ 𝑡 premise
• 3: 𝑝 ∧ 𝑞 ∧ 𝑒1 1
• 4: 𝑞 ∧ 𝑒2 3
• 5: 𝑠 ∧ 𝑒1 2
• 6: 𝑞 ∧ 𝑠 ∧ 𝑖 4,5

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Exercise

Prove 𝑞 ∧ 𝑠 ⊢ 𝑠 ∧ 𝑞 is valid.

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The rules of double negation

• Intuitively, there is no difference between a formula 𝜙

and its double negation ¬¬𝜙.

• The sentence “It is not true that it does not rain” is

crooked way to say “It rains”.

¬¬𝜙
• Rule: ¬¬𝑒
𝜙

𝜙
• Rule: ¬¬𝑖
¬¬𝜙

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Example

• Prove the validity of the following sequent.

• 𝑝, ¬¬(𝑞 ∧ 𝑟) ⊢ ¬¬𝑝 ∧ 𝑟
• Proof:
• 1. 𝑝 premise
• 2. ¬¬(𝑞 ∧ 𝑟) premise
• 3. ¬¬ 𝑝 ¬¬𝑖 1
• 4. (𝑞 ∧ 𝑟) ¬¬𝑒 2
• 5. 𝑟 ∧ 𝑒2 4
• 6. ¬¬ 𝑝 ∧ 𝑟 ∧ 𝑖 3,5

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Rule for eliminating
implication
• There is one rule to introduce ⟶ and one to eliminate it.

• The elimination rule is called “modus ponens”/implies-

elimination/arrow-elimination.

𝜙 𝜙⟶𝜓
• Rule: ⟶𝑒
𝜓

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Example

• Proof the validity of the following sequent

• 𝑝 → 𝑞 ⟶ 𝑟 , 𝑝 ⟶ 𝑞, 𝑝 ⊢ 𝑟
• Proof
• 1. 𝑝 → (𝑞 ⟶ 𝑟) premise
• 2. 𝑝 ⟶ 𝑞 premise
• 3. 𝑝 premise
• 4. (𝑞 ⟶ 𝑟) ⟶ 𝑒 1,3
• 5. 𝑞 ⟶ 𝑒 2,3
• 6. 𝑟 ⟶ 𝑒 4,5

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Modus Tollens

𝜙⟶𝜓 ¬𝜓
• 𝑀𝑇
¬𝜙

• If Abrahm Lincoln was Ethiopian then he was African.

Abraham Lincoln was not african; therefore he was not
Ethiopian.

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Example

• Proof the validity of the following sequent

• 𝑝 → 𝑞 ⟶ 𝑟 , 𝑝, ¬𝑟 ⊢ ¬𝑞
• Proof
• 1. 𝑝 → (𝑞 ⟶ 𝑟) premise
• 2. 𝑝 premise
• 3. ¬𝑟 premise
• 4. (𝑞 ⟶ 𝑟) ⟶ 𝑒 1,2
• 5. ¬𝑞 MT 4,3

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Example

• Proof the validity of the following sequent

• ¬𝑝 → 𝑞, ¬𝑞 ⊢ 𝑝
• Proof
• 1.¬𝑝 → 𝑞 premise
• 2.¬𝑞 premise
• 3. ¬¬𝑝 MT 1,2
• 4. 𝑝 ¬¬𝑒 3

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Example

• Proof the validity of the following sequent

• 𝑝 → ¬𝑞, 𝑞 ⊢ ¬𝑝
• Proof
• 1.𝑝 → ¬𝑞 premise
• 2.𝑞 premise
• 3. ¬¬𝑞 ¬¬𝑖 2
• 4.¬𝑝 MT 1,3

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Summary
Rule Name
𝜙 𝜓 And introduction
∧𝑖
𝜙∧𝜓

𝜙∧𝜓 And Elimination 1

∧ 𝑒1
𝜙
𝜙∧𝜓 And Elimination 2
∧ 𝑒2
𝜓
¬¬𝜙 Double –negation elimination
¬¬𝑒
𝜙
𝜙 Double-negation introduction
¬¬𝑖
¬¬𝜙
𝜙 𝜙 ⟶𝜓 Rule for eliminating implication(Modus
⟶𝑒 Ponens)
𝜓
𝜙 ⟶ 𝜓 ¬𝜓 Modus Tollens (MT)
𝑀𝑇
¬𝜙
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