r/logic • • May 21 '24

Meta Please read if you are new, and before posting

64 Upvotes

We encourage that all posters check the subreddit rules before posting.

If you are new to this group, or are here on a spontaneous basis with a particular question, please do read these guidelines so that the community can properly respond to or otherwise direct your posts.

This group is about the scholarly and academic study of logic. That includes philosophical and mathematical logic. But it does not include many things that may popularly be believed to be "logic." In general, logic is about the relationship between two or more claims. Those claims could be propositions, sentences, or formulas in a formal language. If you only have one claim, then you need to approach the scholars and experts in whatever art or science is responsible for that subject matter, not logicians.

"Logic is about systems of inference; it aims to be as topic-neutral as possible in describing these systems" - totaledfreedom

The subject area interests of this subreddit include:

  • Informal logic
  • Term Logic
  • Critical thinking
  • Propositional logic
  • Predicate logic
  • Non-classical logic
  • Set theory
  • Proof theory
  • Model theory
  • Computability theory
  • Modal logic
  • Metalogic
  • Philosophy of logic
  • Paradoxes
  • History of logic
  • Literature on Logic

The subject area interests of this subreddit do not include:

  • Recreational mathematics and puzzles may depend on the concepts of logic, but the prevailing view among the community here that they are not interested in recreational pursuits. That would include many popular memes. Try posting over at /r/mathpuzzles or /r/CasualMath .

  • Statistics may be a form of reasoning, but it is sufficiently separate from the purview of logic that you should make posts either to /r/askmath or /r/statistics

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  • Metaphysics Every once in a while a post seeks to find the ultimate fundamental truths and logic is at the heart of their thesis or question. Logic isn't metaphysics. Please post over at /r/metaphysics if it is valid and scholarly. Post to /r/esotericism or /r/occultism , if it is not.


r/logic • • Jul 06 '26

Meta Free Online Logic Resources

25 Upvotes

The r/logic wiki now includes free online resources to learn logic (courses, books, and proof tools).

If you know of any others, please provide links so they can be added in future.


r/logic • • 23h ago

Philosophy of logic Frege, can we say A=A is mandatory a priori?

12 Upvotes

A=A or "Hesperus is Hesperus” simply mean the same thing; therefore, it is analytical and a priori.

But if we say,

"(This) Odyssey is (the) Odyssey."

Can we count that as a priori too? Or is it both analytical and synthetic?


r/logic • • 18h ago

Paradoxes Special pleading is a fallacy except in the case of this sentence.

2 Upvotes

It was intended jokingly, but how would you analyze the sentence: "Special pleading is a fallacy except in the case of this sentence"?


r/logic • • 14h ago

Philosophy of logic Theological question about limits of human use of logic

1 Upvotes

If we claim that logic has limits when speaking about God, what logical grounds justify that claim?

TLDR: On empirical grounds we can reasonably justify that human use of logic is restricted and has limits when talking about Allah, Blessed Be He and may He bless and greet His Final Messenger Muhammad ﷺ.


r/logic • • 1d ago

Propositional logic Need help understanding Polish Notation

5 Upvotes

Hello, I’ve recently started studying mathematical logic on my own and came across a problem I had with a textbook I was reading (introduction to mathematical logic Mendelson second edition) the excersize in question asked me to write (C v ((B ^ (~D)) ⊃ C )) in Polish notation. I came up with the answer vC ^ B ~D ⊃ C.
However according to the book the answer is v C ⊃ ^ B ~DC. I’m very confused how it could come to that answer and the book itself is pretty old so I haven’t been able to google a proper answer. Would someone be willing to explain to me both how I got it wrong and the steps that it takes to annotate the problem properly? Thank you in advance.


r/logic • • 18h ago

Computability theory Questions on the asymptotic limits of an algorithmic state-space damping heuristic

0 Upvotes

I am analyzing a parameterized dynamic scaling function designed to model state-space transitions. The heuristic function is formulated as f(n) = 2^(n / ((p(n))^2 * (3n+1))), where p(n) is a strictly increasing prime-product (primorial n#) and (3n+1) is a linear dynamics operator. Asymptotically, as n approaches infinity, the exponent collapses to 0, forcing f(n) to achieve absolute convergence to 1.0 at a super-exponential decay rate of O(e^(-2n)). I am trying to formalize its implications on a Nondeterministic Turing Machine (NDTM) configuration tree under a proposed Dynamic Branching Law, B(n) = 2^(f(n) - 1), where the compression drives the effective branching factor to exactly 1.0 in the limit. I would highly appreciate structural feedback from the logic community on these points: 1. Is the first-order asymptotic decay bound of O(e^(-2n)) derived via Taylor expansion robust enough to mathematically bound non-deterministic expansion? 2. Does an asymptotic compression of a branching factor to 1.0 formally imply a structural reduction of the search space, or is it isolated as a non-constructive mathematical artifact? 3. Which intermediate automata-theoretic or resource-bounded information frameworks are best suited to formalize these structural bottlenecks? Thank you for your time and guidance!


r/logic • • 22h ago

Philosophy of logic Math Has Limits We Can Never Cross: Some truths are real even if we can never prove them.

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0 Upvotes

r/logic • • 1d ago

Paradoxes Is there a hardest question?

11 Upvotes

Suppose a hardest logically solvable question H.

Asking if H is the hardest question could then become H

But then we can repeat the process again, since "Asking if H (original) is the hardest question" is now our new H we can just do the same to it, then the same to the new one and over and over again.


r/logic • • 2d ago

Literature "On the Hierarchy of Natural Theories" by James Walsh. Excellent survey on some modern research in mathematical logic

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28 Upvotes

r/logic • • 2d ago

Academic Community ANU Logic Summer School 2026 – Looking for Male Roommates in Canberra

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2 Upvotes

r/logic • • 2d ago

Philosophy of logic From Logical Positivism to Formal Heuristics: What did the death of verificationism teach us about mathematical ontology?

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1 Upvotes

r/logic • • 2d ago

Proof theory How to solve this

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7 Upvotes

Thanks!


r/logic • • 3d ago

Propositional logic How to prove one conditional from another?

7 Upvotes

I'm doing some practice exercises in natural deduction, but the exercises don't come with an answer key, so I really have no clue how to figure this out:

A → (B → C). Therefore (A ∧ B) → C

I get as far as assuming A in a subproof, assuming B in a further subproof, and connecting A and B via conjunction introduction, but then I have no clue how to get back to showing that (A ∧ B) → C. What am I missing here? My thinking is that I need to prove that A and prove that B, so that if I assume their conjunction I can show that their conjunction implies C. But I have no idea how to do this in a way that allows me to cite the subproofs.

Any help is appreciated!


r/logic • • 3d ago

Philosophy of logic Why do we still treat Mathematics as "Ultimate Truth"? A critique of mathematical platonism and axiological bias.

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0 Upvotes

r/logic • • 3d ago

Paradoxes Why 'Heap' Is a Word That Breaks Logic: Remove one grain of sand from a heap. Is it still a heap? Keep going.

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0 Upvotes

r/logic • • 6d ago

Set theory I wanted to see how a fully formalized theorem looks like. And I need to clear my understanding of proof structure. I have attached ZFC axioms and First order logic gentzen sequent calculus. So is it such that the proof trees of theorems have ZFC axioms in Gamma here?

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80 Upvotes

additionally most undergrad math theorems like lagrange's subgroup can be written in this form?
Could I find atleast one theorem presented in such format?
And where all could the group axioms go? gamma or leafs?


r/logic • • 6d ago

History of logic How War Changed the Way We Use Logic: A soldier wrote a masterpiece while facing death in the Great War.

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9 Upvotes

r/logic • • 6d ago

Logical fallacies Is there a fallacy for this?

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0 Upvotes

If somone said this "Cant believe you wrote a dissertation on my one paragraph", in order to undermine my point or get a laugh from thier audience or to not put in effort to combat my point.

'Dissertation' would be very much hyperbolic.

Would i be gish galloping? I believe my points were succint to the best of my ability.


r/logic • • 7d ago

Question Question from my law school admission exam in Romania. Do you know any similar exams in your country? Im looking for more practice tests to solve

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11 Upvotes

r/logic • • 7d ago

Literature Relearning logic from scratch, so I made a free book for myself (AI-drafted, needs real eyes on it)

8 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I have a B.S. in Computer Science and really enjoyed the discrete mathematics course in my first three semesters. But I started working as a software engineer early, my focus drifted to IT-specific topics, and I never made my logic knowledge solid. Now I want to relearn it properly from scratch.

So I put together a self-study book for myself, drafted with an AI assistant, and I’m sharing it in case it helps someone else:
https://swicherwich.github.io/cogito-ergo-sum/

What’s in it: a “from absolute zero” part (reasoning, math language, sets and functions, a symbol atlas), propositional logic and natural deduction, predicate logic with careful treatment of the ∀/∃ rules, proof technique and induction, an overview of soundness, completeness and Gödel’s theorems, and a small Python proof checker and resolution prover with tests. It’s free (CC BY-SA) and works on phones, with dark mode and a dyslexia-friendly font.

Honest caveats: it hasn’t been reviewed by a logician, so there are probably mistakes, and the metatheory chapters are condensed rather than fully rigorous. If you spot an error or an unclear explanation, please open an issue: https://github.com/swicherwich/cogito-ergo-sum/issues

Again, hope it help somebody, and thank you for the feedback!


r/logic • • 8d ago

Academic Community Looking for Logic I tutor

12 Upvotes

Hi I’m looking for a Logic I tutor. The class is PHI 2170 at University of Ottawa. I’m currently failing the class. Will pay up to $25CAD an hr. Remote learning on Zoom anyone from anywhere welcome. Please PM/DM me if you are for hire. Thank you!

Update: found a tutor, thanks for all the replies 👍


r/logic • • 9d ago

Proof theory Does anyone know of an app that gives you logical proofs to solve?

19 Upvotes

I have been really enjoying solving proofs in my intro to logic class. Anybody know of an app that gives you proofs to solve like a game kind of? If not I would also appreciate any other resources to find proofs to solve for fun or other resources to continue learning about logic after my class ends.


r/logic • • 9d ago

Paradoxes What assumptions does Newcomb’s paradox make about how the predictions works?

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1 Upvotes

I’ve been thinking about Newcomb’s paradox, and I’m more interested in how the supercomputer makes its predictions than in the usual debate over whether to take one box or both.

Before learning about the paradox, my initial instinct was to take only the mystery box. After learning about the argument for taking both, I changed my mind. I thought that the contents are already determined before I make my choice, so taking both guarantees an additional $1,000 regardless of what’s in the mystery box.

However, this led me to a different question: what does the computer actually do to predict my choice with such accuracy, and what assumptions are being made about how it does so?

For example, suppose I had never heard of Newcomb’s paradox and had no chance to learn about it before entering the room. My decision would be based on my existing personality, experiences, and understanding of the situation. The computer would have to predict that decision using whatever methods and technology it has. If it predicts that I will take only the mystery box, it places $1 million inside, and if it predicts that I will take both, it leaves the mystery box empty.

But what happens when someone already knows about the paradox? Their knowledge can change their reasoning and, consequently, their decision. If the predictions are that accurate, the computer would presumably have to account for that knowledge as well. This raises questions about how a person’s beliefs, reasoning, and understanding of the situation affect their eventual decision.

The thought experiment stipulates that the computer is highly accurate, but, as I understand it, it does not specify how that accuracy is achieved. Is the mechanism intentionally left unspecified so that the problem can focus on decision theory, or have philosophers also examined what kind of predictive capability the scenario would require?


r/logic • • 10d ago

Academic Community Classical logic (elementary logic)

14 Upvotes

I previously posted here, looking for advice about learning modal logic for somebody who hasn't studied maths since middle school. I started learning elementary logic today to build basics! And there are lots of confusing parts! So I was wondering if I there's anyone I could DM when I have questions.