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The set of terms of first-order logic (also known as first-order predicate calculus) is defined by the following rules:
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1. A variable is a term.
2. If is an -place function symbol (with ) and , ..., are terms, then is a term.

Recreational Mathematics If is an -place predicate symbol (again with ) and , ..., are terms, then is an atomic
statement.
Topology First-Order Log
Consider the sentential formulas and , where is a sentential formula, is the universal quantifier ("for Izidor Hafner
Alphabetical Index all"), and is the existential quantifier ("there exists"). is called the scope of the respective quantifier, and any
Interactive Entries occurrence of variable in the scope of a quantifier is bound by the closest or . The variable is free in the
formula if at least one of its occurrences in is not bound by any quantifier within .
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New in MathWorld The set of sentential formulas of first-order predicate calculus is defined by the following rules: Izidor Hafner

1. Any atomic statement is a sentential formula.

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Typical Predica
2. If and are sentential formulas, then (NOT ), ( AND ), ( OR ), and ( implies ) Calculus Statem
About MathWorld are sentential formulas (cf. propositional calculus). Izidor Hafner
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3. If is a sentential formula in which is a free variable, then and are sentential formulas.
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In formulas of first-order predicate calculus, all variables are object variables serving as arguments of functions and Hector Zenil
MathWorld Book predicates. (In second-order predicate calculus, variables may denote predicates, and quantifiers may apply to
variables standing for predicates.) The set of axiom schemata of first-order predicate calculus is comprised of the
axiom schemata of propositional calculus together with the two following axiom schemata:
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13,634 entries (2)
Last updated: Mon Oct 30 2017

Created, developed, and where is any sentential formula in which occurs free, is a term, is the result of substituting for the free
nurtured by Eric Weisstein occurrences of in sentential formula , and all occurrences of all variables in are free in .
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Rules of inference in first-order predicate calculus are the Modus Ponens and the two following rules:

(3)

(4)

where is any sentential formula in which occurs as a free variable, does not occur as a free variable in
formula , and the notation means that if the formula above the line is a theorem formally deducted from axioms by
application of inference rules, then the sentential formula below the line is also a formal theorem.

Similarly to propositional calculus, rules for introduction and elimination of and can be derived in first-order
predicate calculus. For example, the following rule holds provided that is the result of substituting variable for
the free occurrences of in sentential formula and all occurrences of resulting from this substitution are free in ,

(5)

Gödel's completeness theorem established equivalence between valid formulas of first-order predicate calculus and
formal theorems of first-order predicate calculus. In contrast to propositional calculus, use of truth tables does not work
for finding valid sentential formulas in first-order predicate calculus because its truth tables are infinite. However,
Gödel's completeness theorem opens a way to determine validity, namely by proof.

SEE ALSO:
Deduction Theorem, Interpretation, Peano Arithmetic, Predicate Calculus, Propositional Calculus

This entry contributed by Alex Sakharov (author's link)

REFERENCES:
Chang, C.-L. and Lee, R. C.-T. Symbolic Logic and Mechanical Theorem Proving. New York: Academic Press, 1997.
Kleene, S. C. Mathematical Logic. New York: Dover, 2002.
Mendelson, E. Introduction to Mathematical Logic, 4th ed. London: Chapman & Hall, p. 12, 1997.

Referenced on Wolfram|Alpha: First-Order Logic

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Sakharov, Alex. "First-Order Logic." From MathWorld--A Wolfram Web Resource, created by Eric W. Weisstein.
http://mathworld.wolfram.com/First-OrderLogic.html

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