Symbolization Review

Logical System

11/30/06

[The core of this is from Leblanc and Wisdom [1972] p.117 and f.]

Symbolization using the Universal Quantifier (of non relational English)


‘Everything is lovely’ we understand as meaning ‘Whatever thing you may choose, it is lovely’ and this becomes

 

(∀x)Lx


Similarly ‘Nothing is going right’ is read as ‘Whatever thing you may choose, it is not going right’ and this becomes

 

(∀x)~Rx


‘Violets are blue’ is read ‘Whatever x you may choose, if it is a violet, then it is blue’ which is

 

(∀x)(Vx⊃Bx)


Everything is either material or spiritual.

 

(∀x)(Mx∨Sx)


Nothing is both round and square.

 

(∀x)~(Rx&Sx)


All and only material objects obey physical laws.

 

(∀x)(Mx≡Px)


Everything fell off the shelf.

 

(∀x)(Ox⊃Fx)


All pacifists are Quakers.
Pacifists are all Quakers.
A pacifist is a Quaker.
To be a pacifist is to be a Quaker.
Every (any,each) pacifist is a Quaker.
If anyone’s (someone’s) a pacifist, he’s a Quaker. Only Quakers are pacifists.
None but Quakers are pacifists.

 

(∀x)(Px⊃Qx)


No adults are trustworthy.

 

(∀x)(Ax⊃~Tx)


No babies are unattractive.

 

(∀x)(Bx⊃~Ux)


Old doctors are all conservative.

 

(∀x)((Dx&Ox)⊃Cx)


Doctors and lawyers are all conservative.

 

(∀x)((Dx∨Lx)⊃Cx) (*note the 'or' *)


People are intelligent if they are witty.

 

(∀x)(Px⊃(Wx⊃Ix))

No intelligent men are lonely if they are young and healthy.

 

(∀x)((Mx&Ix)⊃((Yx&Hx)⊃~Lx))

Symbolization using the Universal Quantifier (of English with relations)


Peter hates everything.

 

(∀x)Hpx


Everything is a delusion caused by God.

 

(∀x)(Dx&Cxg)


Raewyn gets everything she wants.

 

(∀x)(Wrx⊃Grx)


Nothing that Raewyn saw was new.

 

(∀x)(Srx⊃~Nx)

Symbolization using the Existential Quantifier (of non relational English)


‘Something fell off the shelf’ is understood as ‘There is at least one thing, x, such that x fell off the shelf’.

 

(∃x)Fx


‘Some teachers are infallible’ is understood as ‘There is at least one thing, x, such that x is a teacher and x is infallible’.

 

(∃x)(Tx&Ix)


Some teachers are not infallible.

 

(∃x)(Tx&~Ix)


Something is a centaur.
There are centaurs.
There is a centaur.
Centaurs exist.

 

(∃x)Cx


Some tigers are mean if they are hungry.

 

(∃x)(Tx&(Hx⊃Mx))


Some young folk are neither rich nor unhappy.

 

(∃x)((Yx&Fx)&~(Rx∨~Hx))

Symbolization using the Existential Quantifier (of English with relations)


Peter doesn’t understand something.

 

(∃x)~Upx


Somebody lost something.

 

(∃x)(∃y)(Px&Lxy) or (∃x)(Px&(∃y)(Lxy))

Symbolization using both Quantifiers (of English with relations)


‘Everything has a cause’ becomes ‘Whatever thing you may choose, something (or other) is the cause of it’.

 

(∀x)(∃y)Cyx


‘Something is the cause of everything’ becomes ‘There is a something (the same thing) such that whatever thing you may choose, that something is the cause of it’.

 

(∃y)(∀x)Cyx


Everything is the cause of everything.

 

(∀y)(∀x)Cyx