Simple Rules For Solving Any Logic Problem

1. Assumption Rule

You are free to assume anything you like at any time as long as you
do these things:
1. Use curly brackets and indentation to keep track of what you have
assumed.
2. Discharge the assumption with the rules that start with the words
[If you assume ...]
(Discharging an assumption just means you close the curly brackets
and stop indenting. So you can forget about the assumption.)

2. Repetition

If you have:
X
Then you are entitled to:
X

3. ^ introduction (Rule of Joining)

If you have:
X
And you have:
Y
Then you are entitled to:
(X ^ Y)

4. ^ elimination (Simplification)

If you have;
(X ^ Y)
Then you are entitled to:
X
Or, if you prefer, you are also entitled to:
Y

5. v introduction (Disjunctive Addition)

If you have:
X
Then you are entitled to:
(X v Y)
And you are also entitled to:
(Y v X)
6. v elimination

If you have:
(X v Y)
And you have:
(X -> Z)
And you have:
(Y -> Z)
Then you are entitled to:
Z

7. -> introduction

If you assume:
X
And then, on that assumption, you derive:
Y
Then you can discharge the assumption you made at X and then you are
entitled to:
(X -> Y)

8. -> elimination (Modus Ponens)

If you have:
(X -> Y)
And you have:
X
Then you are entitled to:
Y

9. <-> introduction

If you have:
(X -> Y)
And you have:
(Y -> X)
Then you are entitled to:
(X <-> Y)
10. <-> elimination
If you have:
(X <-> Y)
And you have:
X
Then you are entitled to:
Y
OR
If you have:
(X <-> Y)
And you have:
Y
Then you are entitled to:
X

11. ~ introduction (reductio ad absurdum –Proof by Contradiction)

If you assume:
X
And, from that, you conclude a contradiction, such as:
Y
And
~Y (write it as: (y ^ ~y) if you want)
Then you can conclude that your assumption was false, and that:
~X
must be true

12. ~ elimination (reductio ad absurdum –Proof by Contradiction

If you assume:
~X
And, from that, you conclude a contradiction, such as:
Y
And
~Y (write it as: (y ^ ~y) if you want)
Then you can conclude that your assumption was false, and that:
X
must be true
 Rules With Latin Names
1. Modus Ponens
This is just what we've been calling “ -> elimination “

If you have:
(X -> Y)
And you have:
X
Then you are entitled to:
Y

2. Modus Tollens *
This law is just the flip side of modus ponens.

If you have:
(X -> Y)
And you have:
~Y
Then you are entitled to:
~X

3. DeMorgan's Law (I) *

If you have:
~(X ^ Y)
Then you can conclude - or it is equivalent to:
(~X v ~Y)

And if you have:

(~X v ~Y)
Then you can conclude - or it is equivalent to:
~(X ^ Y)

4. DeMorgan's Law (II) *

If you have:
~(X v Y)
Then you can conclude - or it is equivalent to:
(~X ^ ~Y)

And if you have:

(~X ^ ~Y)
Then you can conclude - or it is equivalent to:
~(X v Y)
5. Hypothetical Syllogism *
If you have:
(X -> Y)
And you have:
(Y -> Z)
Then you can conclude:
(X -> Z)

6. Disjunctive Syllogism *
If you have:
(X v Y)
And you have:
~X
Then you can conclude:
Y

7. Reductio Ad Absurdum (Proof by Contradiction)

This is just what we've been calling "~ introduction."

If you assume:
X
And, from that, you conclude a contradiction, such as:
(Y ^ ~Y)
Then you can conclude that your assumption was false, and that:
~X
must be true

8. Double Negation *
If you have:
~~X
Then you can conclude - or it is equivalent to:
X

9. Switcheroo *
If you have:
(X v Y)
Then you can conclude - or it is equivalent to:
(~X -> Y)
10. Disjunctive Addition
This is just what we've been calling "v introduction."

If you have:
X
Then you are entitled to:
(X v Y)
And you are also entitled to:
(Y v X)

11. Simplification
This is just what we've been calling "^ elimination."

If you have:
(X ^ Y)
Then you are entitled to:
X
Or, if you prefer, you are also entitled to:
Y

12. Rule of Joining

This is just what we've been calling "^ introduction."

If you have:
X
And you have:
Y
Then you are entitled to:
(X ^ Y)