Propositional Logic

Propositional logic is a mathematical model (or algebra) for reasoning about the truth of logical expressions (propositions).

Logical expressions can be manipulated according to algebraic laws, allowing us to reason formally (using deductive reasoning) about a set of premises. Resolution is one particularly important technique that can be used to prove a hypothesis from a set of premises.

Propositional logic can be used in:

• the composition of logical expressions in programs

• automatic reasoning systems

• deductive proofs of program correctness

• the programming language Prolog, as a model of computation

• the design of digital circuits

Although propositional logic is powerful enough to be used in these many different contexts, like any formal system, there are limits to its applicability.