Lecture 7

Proof by Contradiction,
Semantics of Propositional Logic
Soundness and Completeness of Propositional Logic

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 Proof by Contradiction
Meta Theorem Let be a set of premises
,¬ ,¬ =
Meta Corollary (a) , ,¬ = ¬
(b) , ¬ =

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 You can assume
Example directly instead of¬¬
Theorem 6 ,¬ ¬ ( Modus Tollens)
Proof Assume , ¬ , ¬¬
1. P
2.¬ P
3.¬¬ P
4. T hm4, 3
5. M P 1, 4

You get a contradiction

with lines 2 and 5

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Theorem 7 ,¬
Proof Assume ,¬ ,¬
1. P
2.¬ P
3.¬ P
4.¬ T hm6, 1, 2
5. M P 3, 4

You get a contradiction

with lines 2 and 5

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 Quiz
Theorem 8 , ¬ ¬( )
Proof Assume , ¬ ,
1. P
2. P
4. M P 1, 2
5.¬ P

You get a contradiction

with lines 4 and 5

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 Semantics of
Propositions
• So far we have focused on the syntax of
proofs
• Just operations on symbols
• Now we look at the “meaning” of the
propositions (i.e., are they true or false?)
• We are mostly interested in “True”
statements
• i.e., tautologies and tautological
consequences
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 Notation for Tautology

|= is the notation indicating is a tautology

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 Example: Tautology
|= p p

p p p
0 1
1 1

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 Tautological Consequence
A proposition q is a tautological consequence of propositions p1 , p2 , dots, pn
if and only if every row of a joint truth table that assigns “T” to all propositions
p1 , p2 , . . . , pn also assigns “T” to q OR there is no row that assigns “T” to all
propositions pi

• Notation

p1 , p2 , . . . , pn |= q
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 When all premises are true,
the conclusion is also true
¬p, q p |= ¬q
p q ¬p q p ¬q
0 0 1 1 1
0 1 1 0 0
1 0 0 1 1
1 1 0 1 0

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 No Row Assigns T to all
Premises
p, ¬p |= q
p q ¬p
0 0 1
0 1 1
1 0 0
1 1 0
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 Soundness
• How can we be sure that all the theorems
that we prove are true?
• Soundness Theorem:
= |=
p1 , p 2 , . . . , pn = p1 , p2 , . . . , pn |=
• Proof: The axioms A1, A2, A3 are tautologies and
Modus Ponens is closed under tautologies (i.e., the
derivation is also a tautology)
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 Completeness

• If a proposition is true given a set of

assumptions, can I prove it? i.e., can I show
that it is a theorem?

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 Emil Post
1921

In his doctoral thesis, Post proved, among

other things, that the propositional calculus
of Principia Mathematica was complete: all
tautologies are theorems, given the Principia
axioms and the rules of substitution and
modus ponens.

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 Completeness Theorem

|= =
p1 , p2 , . . . , pn |= = p1 , p 2 , . . . , p n

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