Introduction to propositional
logic
Artificial intelligence
• Artificial Intelligence is the subfield of
Computer Science devoted to developing
programs that enable computers to display
behavior that can (broadly) be characterized
as intelligent.
How?
logic
• Logic refers to both the study of modes of
reasoning (which are valid and which are
fallacious) and the use of valid reasoning.
• It is studied primarily in the disciplines of
philosophy, mathematics, semantics, and
computer science.
• It examines general forms that arguments may
take.
• In mathematics, it is the study of valid inferences
within some formal language
logic
• Symbolic logic is the study of symbolic abstractions that
capture the formal features of logical inference.
• Symbolic logic is often divided into two branches:
– Propositional logic and
– Predicate logic.
• Mathematical logic is an extension of symbolic logic into
other areas, in particular to the study of model theory, proof
theory, set theory, and recursion theory.
Propositional logic
• Propositional Calculus is the study of the
logical relationships between propositions. A
proposition will be any sentence that is either
true or false, but not both.
• A simple language that is useful for showing
key ideas and definitions
Propositional logic
• User defines a set of propositional symbols,
like P and Q. User defines the semantics of
each of these symbols. For example,
– P means "It is hot"
– Q means "It is humid"
– R means "It is raining"
Propositional logic
• We can build compound propositions by using
logical connectives.
• Examples of compound propositions is "Snow
is white and the sky is clear“,
“if Mary not at home then Mary at school”
• We will use 5 logical connectors:
(not), (and), (or), (if-then), (if and only
if).
Propositional logic
• What is the meaning of the following PL
sentences:
– (P Q) R
–QP
–Q
– P Q (P Q) (Q P)
Propositional logic
– (P Q) R (here meaning "If it is hot and humid,
then it is raining")
– Q P (here meaning "If it is humid, then it is
hot")
– Q (here meaning "It is humid.")
– P Q (P Q) (Q P) (here meaning “if it is
hot then it is humid, and if it is humid then it is
hot”)
•Giving the following sentences:
P: Ali is a good teacher
Q: Ahmed is a good teacher
R: Ali’s students hate math
S: Ahmed’s students hate math
•Express the following into a propositional logic:
1. Ali is a good teacher and his students do not hate math.
2. Either Ali is a good teacher, or his students hate math.
Either Ahmed is a good teacher or he is not.
3. Ali’s students both hate and do not hate math.
4. It is not true that either Ahmed is a good teacher or his
students hate math.
Answer
1. P Λ¬R
2. P νR
3. Q ν¬Q
4. R Λ¬R
5. R Λ¬R
6. ¬(Q νS)
Propositional logic
• Given the truth values of all of the constituent
symbols in a sentence, that sentence can be
"evaluated" to determine its truth value (True
or False). This is called an interpretation of the
sentence.
Example
• Construct the truth table for the following
formula (evaluate the interpreation):
¬ (P ΛQ) Λ(¬R).
Answer
Propositional logic
• The formula is true in every interpretation.
Therefore it is a valid formula.
Propositional logic
• The formula is false in every interpretation.
Therefore it is an inconsistent formula.
Determine whether the following
formula valid or inconsistent
• ( (P Q ) Q ) P
It is a valid formula !
Determine whether the following
formula valid or inconsistent
• ( (P Q ) Q ) P
It is an inconsistent formula !
