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indirect proof

logic
Also known as: reductio ad impossibile

Quick Summary

In logic, an indirect proof, also known as a reductio ad absurdum, is a method of establishing the validity of a proposition. This type of proof involves assuming the contradictory of the conclusion and then demonstrating that this assumption leads to a contradiction, thereby proving the original proposition to be true. This contrasts with a direct proof, which establishes a conclusion through a series of logical steps without assuming the opposite.123

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