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lower predicate calculus with identity

logic
Also known as: LPC with identity, first-order logic with identity(Show More)

Quick Summary

The lower predicate calculus (LPC) is a branch of symbolic logic that analyzes propositions by breaking them down into predicates and individual variables, rather than treating them as unanalyzable units like propositional logic. It uses quantifiers, such as "all" (\u2200) and "some" (\u2203), to express how predicates apply to individuals or relations between them.123

For example, "Socrates is wise" can be represented as \u03d5x, where \u03d5 is the predicate "is wise" and x is the individual "Socrates." More complex statements, like "Everything is wise," are symbolized as (\u2200x)\u03d5x.14

The LPC is considered "lower" because quantifiers only apply to individual variables, not to predicates themselves. Systems that allow quantification over predicates are called higher-order calculi. The predicate calculus with identity extends the LPC by including a symbol for identity (=), allowing statements about whether two individuals are the same.2314

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