Using PL to Describe Properties of Systems

Propositional calculus

PL can work as a simple language to describe facts (also known as truths or axioms) about the domain of discourse. PL can be used to describe aspects of various systems and domains. Reasoning in PL happens through inference procedures. This is, in general, a very complex topic. Inferences can be drawn by repeated use of modus ponens rules to deduce new facts that must be true if the antecedents of the rules are true. As you read, focus on the general ideas and examples. If you are interested, you can go into the technical details on a second, deeper reading.

Propositional calculus is a branch of logic. It is also called propositional logic, statement logic, sentential calculus, sentential logic, or sometimes zeroth-order logic. It deals with propositions (which can be true or false) and relations between propositions, including the construction of arguments based on them. Compound propositions are formed by connecting propositions by logical connectives. Propositions that contain no logical connectives are called atomic propositions.

Unlike first-order logic, propositional logic does not deal with non-logical objects, predicates about them, or quantifiers. However, all the machinery of propositional logic is included in first-order logic and higher-order logics. In this sense, propositional logic is the foundation of first-order logic and higher-order logic.

Source: Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propositional_calculus
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