Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
HYPOTHETICAL
PROPOSITION
Hypothetical Proposition is a compound proposition that does not
affirm nor negate themselves but only the nature and validity of
their connection
TYPES OF HYPOTHETICAL
PROPOSITION
Conditional Proposition express real dependence between a condition
(antecedent)which is usually introduced by the word IF and the conditioned
(consequent) introduced by the word then.
EXAMPLE:
1. If Francis is the brother of James, then Francis is the child of Jame’s father
2. If you get operated then you'll survive
3. If you please everybody
Disjunctive Proposition expresses alternatives (disjuncts) all of which cannot be true
or false together but only one can be true, and other must be false
1. The vehicle is either moving or not moving
2. The request is either answered or unanswered
3. The patient is either dead or alive
Conjunctive Proposition is one that denies the simultaneously possibility of the
alternatives(conjunct).The conjunct have to be incompatible ,ie. they cannot all be true
simultaneously.
EXAMPLES:
1. One cannot go downstairs and meet himself coming up at the same time
2. A man cannot walk forward and backward at the same time
3. The accuses cannot be both innocent and guilty at the same time.
Hypothetical Syllogism is a Syllogism that has a
hypothetical proposition as one of its premises.
Fallacy of denying the antecedent A fallacy in which, from the negation of the
antecedent of a conditional proposition, the conclusion is reached that the
consequent of that conditional is false
2. Modus Tollens is a mixed hypothetical syllogism in which the first premise is a
conditional proposition, the second premise is the denial of the consequent of that
conditional, and the conclusion is the denial of the antecedent of that conditional.
EXAMPLES:
If the one-eyed prisoner saw two red hats, then he could tell the color of the hat on his
own head.
The one-eyed prisoner could not tell the color of the hat on his own head.
Therefore the one-eyed prisoner did not see two red hats.
DISJUNCTION EITHER OR
Determine the truth values of the following symbolized statements. Let A, B, and C be true
and X, Y, and Z be false. Circle your answer.
1. A • X 2. B • ~Y 3. X v ~Y 4. ~C v Z 5. (C ≡ ~A) v ( Y ≡ Z )
T F T T F T F F T F F F
F T T F F T
F
6. ~(A • ~C) ⊃ (~X ⊃ B) 7. ~[( B v ~C) • ~ ( X v Z )] 8.~ ~[~( X ⊃ C) ≡ ~( B ⊃ Z)]
F T T T F T F F T F F T
F T T F F T
T F F
9. { ~[( C v ~B) • (Z v ~A) ] • ~[ ~(B v Y) • (~X v Z) ]}
F T T T T F F F
T T T F
T F
F
10. (Z ⊃ C) ⊃ {[(~X ⊃ B) ⊃ (C ⊃ Y)] ≡ [(Z ⊃ X) ⊃ (~Y ⊃ Z)]}
F T T T T F F F T F
T T F T F
F F
T
1. (Av B) ⊃(A•B) LOGICAL TRANSLATION: (P v Q) ⊃(P•Q)
Av B /∴ A•B P v Q /∴ P•Q
P Q R ~P ~Q Q•R P ⊃ (Q • R) ~Q /∴ ~P
T T T F F T T F F
T T F F F T T F F
T F T F T F F T F
T F F F T F F T F
F T T T F F T F T
F T F T F F T F T
F F T T T F T T T
F F F T T F T T T
2. If Denmark refuses to join the European Community, then, if Estonia remains in the Russian
sphere of influence, then Finland will reject a free trade policy. Estonia will remain in the
Russian sphere of influence. So if Denmark refuses to join the European Community, then
Finland will reject a free-trade policy.
D ⊃(E ⊃ F) P ⊃ (Q ⊃R)
E /∴ D ⊃ F Q /∴ P ⊃ R
P Q R (Q ⊃ R) P ⊃ (Q ⊃R) Q /∴P ⊃ R
T T T T T T T
T T F F F T F
T F T T T F T
T F F T F F F
F T T T T T T
F T F F T T T
F F T T T F T
F F F T T F T
3. If Greece strengthens its democratic institutions, then Hungary will pursue a more
independent policy. If Greece strengthens its democratic institutions, then the Italian
government will feel less threatened. Hence, if Hungary pursues a more independent policy,
the Italian government will feel less threatened.
G⊃H P⊃Q
G ⊃ I /∴ H ⊃ I P ⊃ R /∴ Q ⊃ R
P Q R P⊃Q P⊃R /∴ Q ⊃ R
T T T T T T
T T F T F F
T F T F T T
T F F F F T
F T T T T T
F T F T T F
F F T T T T
F F F T T T
4. If Japan continues to increase the export of automobiles, then either Korea or Laos will
suffer economic decline. Korea will not suffer economic decline. It follows that if Japan
continues to increase the export of automobiles, then Laos will suffer economic decline.
J ⊃(K v L) P ⊃(Q v R)
~K /∴ K ⊃ L ~Q /∴ Q ⊃ R
P Q R ~Q Q v R P ⊃ (Q v R) ~Q Q⊃R
T T T F T T F T
T T F F T T F F
T F T T T T T T
T F F T T T T T
F T T F T T F T
F T F F T T F F
F F T T F T T T
F F F T F T T T
Rules of inference The rules that permit valid inferences from statements assumed as
premises. Twenty-three rules of inference are set forth in this text: nine elementary valid
argument forms, ten logical equivalences whose members may replace one another, and
four rules governing instantiation and generalization in quantified logic.
Natural deduction A method of proving the validity of a deductive argument by using the
rules of inference.
Elementary valid argument Any one of a set of specified deductive arguments that serve as
rules of inference and that may therefore be used in constructing a formal proof of validity.
RULES OF INFERENCE
1. Modus Ponens (MP) 2. Modus Tollens (MT) 3. Disjunctive Syllogism (DS)
1. P ⊃ Q 1. P ⊃ Q 1. P v Q 1. P v Q
2. P 2. ~Q 2. ~P 2. ~Q
3. / Q 3. / ~P 3. / Q 3. / P
4. Conjunction (Conj) 5. Hypothetical Syllogism (H.S) 6. Constructive dilemma (C.D)
1. P 1. P ⊃ Q 1. (P ⊃ Q) • (R ⊃ S)
2. Q 2. Q ⊃ R 2. PvR
3. / P • Q 3. / P ⊃ R 3. /QvS
7. Simplification (Simp) 8. Absorption (Abs) 9. Addition (Add)
1. P • Q 1. P • Q 1. P ⊃ Q 1. P
2. / P 2. / Q 2. / P ⊃ (P •Q) 2. / P v Q
10. Destructive Dilemma (D.D)
1. (P ⊃ Q) •(R ⊃ S)
2. ~Qv ~S
3. ~P v R
EXAMPLES:
1. A ⊃ B 1. J • L
2. B ⊃ C 2. A v C
3. C ⊃ D 3. C ⊃ ~L /.’. A
4.~D 4. L Simp 1
5. A v E /.’. E 5. ~C M.T 3,4
6. A ⊃ C H,S 1,2 6. A D.S 2,5
7. A ⊃ D H,S 6,3
8. ~A M,T 7,4
9. E D,S 5,8
⊃≡v•
Activity:
1. (A • B) ⊃ C / ∴ (A • B) ⊃ [(A •B) • C]
2.(D v E) •( F v G) /∴ D v E
3. (H⊃ I) /∴ ( H ⊃ I) v (H ⊃ ~I)
7. 1. (S ≡T) v [( U • V) v ( U •W)]
2. ~(S ≡T) /∴ ( U • V) v ( U •W)
9. 1. ( F ≡ G) ⊃ (~ G •~F)
2. (~G•~F) ⊃ ( G ⊃ F)/∴ ( F ≡ G) ⊃ ( G ⊃ F)
10. 1. ( I ≡ H) ⊃ ~(H•~I)
2. ~(H•~I) ⊃ ( H ⊃ I) /∴ ( I ≡ H) ⊃ ( H ⊃ I)
1) 1. A • B 2) 1. ( E v F) • (G v H) 3) 1. I ⊃ J
2. (A v C) ⊃ D /∴ A • D 2. (E ⊃ G)•(F ⊃ H) 2. J ⊃ K
3. ~G /∴ H 3. L ⊃ M
4. I v L /∴ K v M
4) 1. Q ⊃ R 5) 1. N ⊃ O
2. ~S (T ⊃ U) 2. (N • O) ⊃ P
3. S (Q v T) 3. ~(N • P) /∴ ~N
4. ~S /∴ R v U
1. If either Gertrude or Herbert wins, then both Jens and Kenneth lose. Gertrude wins.
Therefore Jens loses.
(G—Gertrude wins; H —Herbert wins; J —Jens loses; K—Kenneth loses.)
1. (G v H) ⊃ (J • K)
2. G /∴ J
2. If Adriana joins, then the club’s social prestige will rise; and if Boris joins, then the club’s
financial position will be more secure. Either Adriana or Boris will join. If the club’s social
prestige rises, then Boris will join; and if the club’s financial position becomes more secure,
then Wilson will join. Therefore either Boris or Wilson will join.
(A —Adriana joins; S —The club’s social prestige rises; B —Boris joins; F —The club’s financial
position is more secure; W —Wilson joins.)
1. (A ⊃ S) • (B ⊃ F)
2. Av B
3. (S ⊃ B) •(F ⊃ W) /∴ B v W
3. If Brown received the message, then she took the plane; and if she took the plane, then
she will not be late for the meeting. If the message was incorrectly addressed, then Brown
will be late for the meeting. Either Brown received the message or the message was
incorrectly addressed. Therefore either Brown took the plane or she will be late for the
meeting.
(R—Brown received the message; P —Brown took the plane; L —Brown will be late for the
meeting; T —The message was incorrectly addressed.)
1. (R ⊃ P) • (T ⊃ ~L)
2. T⊃L
3. R v T /∴ P v L
4. If Nihar buys the lot, then an office building will be constructed; whereas if Payton buys the
lot, then it will be quickly sold again. If Rivers buys the lot, then a store will be constructed;
and if a store is constructed, then Thompson will offer to lease it. Either Nihar or Rivers will buy
the lot. Therefore either an office building or a store will be constructed.
(N —Nihar buys the lot; O —An office building will be constructed; P —Payton buys the lot;
Q —The lot will be quickly sold again; R —Rivers buys the lot; S —A store will be constructed;
T —Thompson will offer to lease the store.)
1. (N ⊃ O) •(P ⊃ Q)
2. (R ⊃ S) •(S ⊃ T)
3. N v R /∴ O v S
5. If rain continues, then the river rises. If rain continues and the river rises, then the bridge
will wash out. If the continuation of rain would cause the bridge to wash out, then a single
road is not sufficient for the town. Either a single road is sufficient for the town or the traffic
engineers have made a mistake. Therefore the traffic engineers have made a mistake.
(C —Rain continues; R —The river rises; B —The bridge washes out; S —A single road is
sufficient for the town; M—The traffic engineers have made a mistake.)
1. C⊃R
2. (C • R) ⊃ B
3. (C ⊃ B) ⊃ ~S
4. S v M /∴ M
5. C ⊃ (C • R ) Abs. 1
6. C ⊃ B HS, 5,2
7. ~S MP. 1,2
8. M DS. 4,7
For each of the following arguments, it is possible to provide a formal proof of validity by
adding just three statements to the premises. Writing these out, carefully and accurately,
will strengthen your command of the rules of inference, a needed preparation for the
construction of proofs that are more extended and more complex.