How to Prove the Logical Implication from Church's Mathematical Logic?

Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
1 reply · 2K views
Hessinger
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
This from Alonzo Church's Mathematical Logic, been stuck on it for a week =(.

Homework Statement


14.3 Present a Formal Proof: p [tex]\Rightarrow[/tex] (q [tex]\Rightarrow[/tex] r) [tex]\Rightarrow[/tex] ((p [tex]\Rightarrow[/tex] q) [tex]\Rightarrow[/tex] r)

Homework Equations


The Attempt at a Solution



A truth table has shown that the previous implication is a tautology therefore we should be able to prove it. The first half is easily obtained from modus ponens... p [tex]\Rightarrow[/tex] (q [tex]\Rightarrow[/tex] r) however I have not been able to get ((p [tex]\Rightarrow[/tex] q) [tex]\Rightarrow[/tex] r) any suggestions or guidance would be appreciated.
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
I assume you are asked to show [itex]p \rightarrow (q \rightarrow r) \Rightarrow (p \rightarrow q) \rightarrow r[/itex].

Proofs involving conclusions of the form "if A then B" are usually best proven by assuming the premises of the claim and A and then showing B is a consequence.

Basically:

Given [itex]p \rightarrow (q \rightarrow r), (p \rightarrow q)[/itex].

Show [itex]r[/itex].

As a hint, I'd suggest assuming p as a first step in the proof.

--Elucidus

P.S.: This method is valid due to the equivalence [itex](A \wedge B) \rightarrow C \equiv A \rightarrow (B \rightarrow C)[/itex]