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Lecture 5 Valid Arguments in Propositional Logic 0

The document explains the structure and validity of arguments in propositional logic, defining premises and conclusions. It outlines the process for checking the validity of an argument using truth tables and provides examples to illustrate valid and invalid arguments. Additionally, it includes exercises for further practice in determining argument validity.

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damsey100
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© © All Rights Reserved
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4 views

Lecture 5 Valid Arguments in Propositional Logic 0

The document explains the structure and validity of arguments in propositional logic, defining premises and conclusions. It outlines the process for checking the validity of an argument using truth tables and provides examples to illustrate valid and invalid arguments. Additionally, it includes exercises for further practice in determining argument validity.

Uploaded by

damsey100
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Valid Arguments in Propositional

Logic

1 L Al-zaid Math1101
Argument

• An argument in propositional logic is a sequence of propositions. All but


the final proposition in the argument are called premises and the final
proposition is called the conclusion.

Premises ⇒ Conclusion

Example:
“If you have a current password, then you can log onto the network.”
“You have a current password.”
Therefore, ----------------

“You can log onto the network.”


2 L Al-zaid Math1101
• An argument is valid if the truth of all its
premises implies that the
conclusion is true.
• An argument form in propositional logic is a sequence of compound
propositions involving propositional variables.
• An argument form is valid if no matter which particular propositions
are substituted for the propositional variables in its premises, the
conclusion is true if the premises are all true.
• The conclusion is true if the premises are all true.

3 L Al-zaid Math1101
:Example
• Either team A or Team B will win the match
• Team B lost
• Therefore Team A won
----------------------------------------------
The general form of this argument is:
Either P or Q
Not P
Therefore Q
(P ∨ Q) ∧ ┐P→Q , or
4 L Al-zaid Math1101
Rules of Inference for Propositional Logic

• We can always use a truth table to show that an argument form is


valid. We do this by showing that whenever the premises are true, the
conclusion must also be true.

5 L Al-zaid Math1101
Checking the validity of an
Argument form
• Step 1: Construct truth table for the premises and conclusion.
• Step 2: Find the rows in which all the premises are true(critical rows).
• Step 3: Check conclusion of all critical rows.
a) If in each critical rows the conclusion is true then the argument is
valid.
b) If there is a row in which conclusion is false then the argument form
is invalid.

6 L Al-zaid Math1101
Example:
Determine whether the following argument is valid
or invalid

{
┐q q P
𝑃→𝑞 F T F T T Formal
¬𝑝 T F F F T

∴ ¬𝑞 F T T T F
T T T F F

Solution
:put all premises true
p→q=T Informal
p = T, then p = F┐
.Now, put q = T. So, we still have p → q = T, but q = T, Then ┐q = F
.The conclusion is False whereas all premises are true, Therefor, the argument is invalid

7 L Al-zaid Math1101
Example : Determine whether the following argument is

{
valid or invalid (Hint: use informal
𝑝 → method)
𝑞
𝑞 → (𝑝 → 𝑟 )
𝑝
∴𝑟
Solution:
put all premises true: (p → q) = T
q → (p → r) = T
p=T
.........................................
Since p = T and (p → q) = T, then q = T
Now, since q = T and q → (p → r) = T then Q := (p → r) = T
We have p = T and (p → r) = T then r must be true. Therefore r = T and
the argument is valid.

8 L Al-zaid Math1101
:Exercise
Determine whether the following argument is valid or invalid:

9 L Al-zaid Math1101

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