This completely self-contained study, widely considered the best book in the field, is intended to serve both as an introduction to quantification theory and as ...

Our aim is to express in exact terms the old idea of solving problems by pure questioning. We consider the problem of derivability: "Is A derivable from Δ by classical propositional logic?". We develop a calculus of questions E*; a proof (called a Socratic proof) is a sequence of questions ending with a question whose affirmative answer is, in a sense, evident. The calculus is sound and complete with respect to classical propositional logic. A Socratic proof in E* can be (...) transformed into a Gentzen-style proof in some sequent calculi. Next we develop a calculus of questions E**; Socratic proofs in E** can be transformed into analytic tableaux. We show that Socratic proofs can be grounded in Inferential Erotetic Logic. After a slight modification, the analyzed systems can also be viewed as hypersequent calculi. (shrink)

Structural proof theory is a branch of logic that studies the general structure and properties of logical and mathematical proofs. This book is both a concise introduction to the central results and methods of structural proof theory, and a work of research that will be of interest to specialists. The book is designed to be used by students of philosophy, mathematics and computer science. The book contains a wealth of results on proof-theoretical systems, including extensions of such systems from logic (...) to mathematics, and on the connection between the two main forms of structural proof theory - natural deduction and sequent calculus. The authors emphasize the computational content of logical results. A special feature of the volume is a computerized system for developing proofs interactively, downloadable from the web and regularly updated. (shrink)

First-order logic is formalized by means of tools taken from the logic of questions. A calculus of questions which is a counterpart of the Pure Calculus of Quantifiers is presented. A direct proof of completeness of the calculus is given.

Description Logics are a family of knowledge representation formalisms mainly characterised by constructors to build complex concepts and roles from atomic ones. Expressive role constructors are important in many applications, but can be computationally problematical.We present an algorithm that decides satisfiability of the DL ALC extended with transitive and inverse roles and functional restrictions with respect to general concept inclusion axioms and role hierarchies; early experiments indicate that this algorithm is well-suited for implementation. Additionally, we show that ALC extended with (...) just transitive and inverse roles is still in PSPACE. We investigate the limits of decidability for this family of DLs, showing that relaxing the constraints placed on the kinds of roles used in number restrictions leads to the undecidability of all inference problems. Finally, we describe a number of optimisation techniques that are crucial in obtaining implementations of the decision procedures, which, despite the high worst-case complexity of the problem, exhibit good performance with real-life problems. (shrink)

"Necessity is the mother of invention. " Part I: What is in this book - details. There are several different types of formal proof procedures that logicians have invented. The ones we consider are: 1) tableau systems, 2) Gentzen sequent calculi, 3) natural deduction systems, and 4) axiom systems. We present proof procedures of each of these types for the most common normal modal logics: S5, S4, B, T, D, K, K4, D4, KB, DB, and also G, the logic that (...) has become important in applications of modal logic to the proof theory of Peano arithmetic. Further, we present a similar variety of proof procedures for an even larger number of regular, non-normal modal logics. We also consider some quasi-regular logics, including S2 and S3. Virtually all of these proof procedures are studied in both propositional and first-order versions. Finally, we present the full variety of proof methods for Intuitionistic logic. We actually give two quite different kinds of tableau systems for the logics we consider, two kinds of Gentzen sequent calculi, and two kinds of natural deduction systems. Each of the two tableau systems has its own uses; each provides us with different information about the logics involved. They complement each other more than they overlap. Of the two Gentzen systems, one is of the conventional sort, common in the literature. (shrink)

The aim of this paper is to present the method of Socratic proofs for seven modal propositional logics: K5, S4.2, S4.3, S4M, S4F, S4R and G. This work is an extension of [10] where the method was presented for the most common modal propositional logics: K, D, T, KB, K4, S4 and S5.

Modal propositional logic; Modal predicate logic; A survey of modal logic.

This paper develops a new proof method for two propositional paraconsistent logics: the propositional part of Batens' weak paraconsistent logic CLuN and Schütte's maximally paraconsistent logic Φv. Proofs are de.ned as certain sequences of questions. The method is grounded in Inferential Erotetic Logic.