Knowledge (XXG)

Cut-elimination theorem

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if it admits a proof of the absurd. If the system has a cut elimination theorem, then if it has a proof of the absurd, or of the empty sequent, it should also have a proof of the absurd (or the empty sequent), without cuts. It is typically very easy to check that there are no such proofs. Thus,
189: 490:, whereas in LJ the RHS may only have one formula or none: here we see that allowing more than one formula in the RHS is equivalent, in the presence of the right contraction rule, to the admissibility of the 498:'s logic LC it is easy to obtain a rather natural formalisation of classical logic where the RHS contains at most one formula; it is the interplay of the logical and structural rules that is the key here. 624: 313: 252: 542: 580: 763: 494:. However, the sequent calculus is a fairly expressive framework, and there have been sequent calculi for intuitionistic logic proposed that allow many formulae in the RHS. From 1221: 687: 725: 871:
demonstrated that there was a derivation that could be completed in a page using cut, but whose analytic proof could not be completed in the lifespan of the universe.
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are those proofs that do not use Cut. Typically such a proof will be longer, of course, and not necessarily trivially so. In his essay "Don't Eliminate Cut!"
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The cut-elimination theorem states that (for a given system) any sequent provable using the rule Cut can be proved without use of this rule.
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respectively. The cut-elimination theorem states that any judgement that possesses a proof in the sequent calculus making use of the
1088: 943: 1205: 918: 591: 926: 914: 479:…)." Note that the left-hand side (LHS) is a conjunction (and) and the right-hand side (RHS) is a disjunction (or). 1200: 491: 891: 883:
once a system is shown to have a cut elimination theorem, it is normally immediate that the system is consistent.
259: 198: 515: 553: 903: 736: 1226: 991: 1195: 666: 58: 698: 1132: 899: 887: 809: 1140: 1118: 947: 938: 879: 483: 969:, pp. 208–213, gives a 5-page proof of the elimination theorem. See also pages 188, 250. 1077: 1032: 502: 495: 317:, and (as glossed by Gentzen) should be understood as equivalent to the truth-function "If ( 42: 1179: 455: 428: 401: 374: 347: 320: 1065: 1020: 852: 62: 46: 910:
programming language, depends upon the admissibility of Cut in the appropriate system.
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For sequent calculi that have only one formula in the RHS, the "Cut" rule reads, given
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The LHS may have arbitrarily many or few formulae; when the LHS is empty, the RHS is a
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used to prove this theorem can be inlined. Whenever the theorem's proof mentions
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in his landmark 1934 paper "Investigations in Logical Deduction" for the systems
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as a theorem, then cut-elimination in this case simply says that a lemma
184:{\displaystyle A_{1},A_{2},A_{3},\ldots \vdash B_{1},B_{2},B_{3},\ldots } 981:, pp. 453, gives a very brief proof of the cut-elimination theorem. 1081: 1036: 82: 907: 994:(university lecture notes about cut-elimination, German, 2002-2003) 1095:
Gentzen, Gerhard (1965). "Investigations into logical deduction".
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Gentzen, Gerhard (1964). "Investigations into logical deduction".
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Normally also the system has, at least in first order logic, the
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is a logical expression relating multiple formulas, in the form
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Cut elimination is one of the most powerful tools for proving
925:(every proof term reduces in a finite number of steps into a 41:) is the central result establishing the significance of the 73:, that is, a proof that does not make use of the cut rule. 1068:(1935). "Untersuchungen über das logische Schließen. II". 1023:(1935). "Untersuchungen über das logische Schließen. I.". 902:. The possibility of carrying out proof search based on 837: 831:, we can substitute the occurrences for the proof of 817: 794: 774: 739: 701: 669: 635: 594: 556: 518: 458: 431: 404: 377: 350: 323: 262: 201: 93: 619:{\displaystyle \Gamma ,\Pi \vdash \Delta ,\Lambda } 843: 823: 800: 780: 757: 719: 681: 641: 629:That is, it "cuts" the occurrences of the formula 618: 574: 536: 471: 444: 417: 390: 363: 336: 307: 246: 183: 890:, an important property in several approaches to 863:For systems formulated in the sequent calculus, 505:, and equivalent to a variety of rules in other 921:, cut elimination algorithms correspond to the 501:"Cut" is a rule in the normal statement of the 1089:Untersuchungen über das logische Schließen II 8: 1044:Untersuchungen über das logische Schließen I 1222:Theorems in the foundations of mathematics 874:The theorem has many, rich consequences: 836: 816: 793: 773: 738: 700: 668: 634: 593: 555: 517: 463: 457: 436: 430: 409: 403: 382: 376: 355: 349: 328: 322: 308:{\displaystyle B_{1},B_{2},B_{3},\ldots } 293: 280: 267: 261: 247:{\displaystyle A_{1},A_{2},A_{3},\ldots } 232: 219: 206: 200: 169: 156: 143: 124: 111: 98: 92: 959: 906:, the essential insight leading to the 537:{\displaystyle \Gamma \vdash A,\Delta } 1003: 978: 966: 575:{\displaystyle \Pi ,A\vdash \Lambda } 7: 1117:. New York: Dover Publications Inc. 758:{\displaystyle \Gamma ,\Pi \vdash B} 915:higher-order typed lambda calculus 746: 740: 702: 670: 649:out of the inferential relation. 613: 607: 601: 595: 569: 557: 531: 519: 25: 1115:Foundations of mathematical logic 1097:American Philosophical Quarterly 1052:American Philosophical Quarterly 851:. Consequently, the cut rule is 1157:(1984). "Don't eliminate cut". 1137:Introduction to metamathematics 682:{\displaystyle \Gamma \vdash A} 45:. It was originally proved by 1159:Journal of Philosophical Logic 919:Curry–Howard isomorphism 720:{\displaystyle \Pi ,A\vdash B} 1: 923:strong normalization property 1139:. Ishi Press International. 913:For proof systems based on 1201:Encyclopedia of Mathematics 944:Gentzen's consistency proof 859:Consequences of the theorem 1243: 492:law of the excluded middle 1180:"Cut Elimination Theorem" 1070:Mathematische Zeitschrift 1025:Mathematische Zeitschrift 892:proof-theoretic semantics 193:, which is to be read as 1194:Dragalin, A.G. (2001) , 732: 694: 587: 549: 32:cut-elimination theorem 27:Theorem in formal logic 18:Cut elimination theorem 900:interpolation theorems 845: 825: 802: 782: 759: 721: 683: 643: 620: 576: 538: 473: 446: 419: 392: 365: 338: 309: 248: 185: 1111:Curry, Haskell Brooks 846: 826: 803: 783: 760: 722: 684: 644: 621: 577: 539: 474: 472:{\displaystyle B_{3}} 447: 445:{\displaystyle B_{2}} 420: 418:{\displaystyle B_{1}} 393: 391:{\displaystyle A_{3}} 366: 364:{\displaystyle A_{2}} 339: 337:{\displaystyle A_{1}} 310: 249: 186: 1133:Kleene, Stephen Cole 835: 815: 792: 772: 737: 730:allows one to infer 699: 667: 633: 592: 585:allows one to infer 554: 516: 456: 429: 402: 375: 348: 321: 260: 199: 91: 990:Wilfried Buchholz, 888:subformula property 1196:"Sequent calculus" 1082:10.1007/BF01201363 1037:10.1007/BF01201353 1006:, pp. 373–378 841: 821: 798: 778: 755: 717: 679: 639: 616: 572: 534: 469: 442: 415: 388: 361: 334: 305: 244: 181: 1146:978-0-923891-57-2 1124:978-0-486-63462-3 939:Deduction theorem 844:{\displaystyle A} 824:{\displaystyle A} 801:{\displaystyle A} 781:{\displaystyle B} 642:{\displaystyle A} 69:also possesses a 16:(Redirected from 1234: 1208: 1190: 1189: 1166: 1150: 1128: 1104: 1085: 1066:Gentzen, Gerhard 1059: 1040: 1021:Gentzen, Gerhard 1007: 1001: 995: 988: 982: 976: 970: 964: 850: 848: 847: 842: 830: 828: 827: 822: 807: 805: 804: 799: 787: 785: 784: 779: 764: 762: 761: 756: 726: 724: 723: 718: 688: 686: 685: 680: 648: 646: 645: 640: 625: 623: 622: 617: 581: 579: 578: 573: 543: 541: 540: 535: 503:sequent calculus 496:Jean-Yves Girard 478: 476: 475: 470: 468: 467: 451: 449: 448: 443: 441: 440: 424: 422: 421: 416: 414: 413: 397: 395: 394: 389: 387: 386: 370: 368: 367: 362: 360: 359: 343: 341: 340: 335: 333: 332: 316: 314: 312: 311: 306: 298: 297: 285: 284: 272: 271: 254: 253: 251: 250: 245: 237: 236: 224: 223: 211: 210: 192: 190: 188: 187: 182: 174: 173: 161: 160: 148: 147: 129: 128: 116: 115: 103: 102: 43:sequent calculus 21: 1242: 1241: 1237: 1236: 1235: 1233: 1232: 1231: 1212: 1211: 1193: 1178:Alex Sakharov. 1177: 1176: 1173: 1153: 1147: 1131: 1125: 1109: 1094: 1064: 1049: 1019: 1016: 1011: 1010: 1002: 998: 989: 985: 977: 973: 965: 961: 956: 935: 865:analytic proofs 861: 833: 832: 813: 812: 790: 789: 770: 769: 768:If we think of 735: 734: 697: 696: 665: 664: 655: 653:Cut elimination 631: 630: 590: 589: 552: 551: 514: 513: 509:, which, given 459: 454: 453: 432: 427: 426: 405: 400: 399: 378: 373: 372: 351: 346: 345: 324: 319: 318: 289: 276: 263: 258: 257: 256: 228: 215: 202: 197: 196: 194: 165: 152: 139: 120: 107: 94: 89: 88: 86: 79: 63:classical logic 47:Gerhard Gentzen 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1240: 1238: 1230: 1229: 1224: 1214: 1213: 1210: 1209: 1191: 1172: 1171:External links 1169: 1168: 1167: 1155:Boolos, George 1151: 1145: 1129: 1123: 1107: 1106: 1105: 1092: 1062: 1061: 1060: 1047: 1015: 1012: 1009: 1008: 996: 983: 971: 958: 957: 955: 952: 951: 950: 948:Peano's axioms 941: 934: 931: 896: 895: 884: 860: 857: 840: 820: 797: 777: 766: 765: 754: 751: 748: 745: 742: 728: 727: 716: 713: 710: 707: 704: 690: 689: 678: 675: 672: 654: 651: 638: 627: 626: 615: 612: 609: 606: 603: 600: 597: 583: 582: 571: 568: 565: 562: 559: 545: 544: 533: 530: 527: 524: 521: 507:proof theories 466: 462: 439: 435: 412: 408: 385: 381: 358: 354: 331: 327: 304: 301: 296: 292: 288: 283: 279: 275: 270: 266: 243: 240: 235: 231: 227: 222: 218: 214: 209: 205: 180: 177: 172: 168: 164: 159: 155: 151: 146: 142: 138: 135: 132: 127: 123: 119: 114: 110: 106: 101: 97: 78: 75: 71:cut-free proof 59:intuitionistic 26: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1239: 1228: 1225: 1223: 1220: 1219: 1217: 1207: 1203: 1202: 1197: 1192: 1187: 1186: 1181: 1175: 1174: 1170: 1165:(4): 373–378. 1164: 1160: 1156: 1152: 1148: 1142: 1138: 1134: 1130: 1126: 1120: 1116: 1112: 1108: 1103:(3): 204–218. 1102: 1098: 1093: 1091:(Archive.org) 1090: 1087: 1086: 1083: 1079: 1075: 1071: 1067: 1063: 1058:(4): 249–287. 1057: 1053: 1048: 1046:(Archive.org) 1045: 1042: 1041: 1038: 1034: 1030: 1026: 1022: 1018: 1017: 1013: 1005: 1000: 997: 993: 992:Beweistheorie 987: 984: 980: 975: 972: 968: 963: 960: 953: 949: 945: 942: 940: 937: 936: 932: 930: 928: 924: 920: 916: 911: 909: 905: 901: 893: 889: 885: 881: 877: 876: 875: 872: 870: 869:George Boolos 866: 858: 856: 854: 838: 818: 811: 795: 775: 752: 749: 743: 733: 731: 714: 711: 708: 705: 695: 693: 676: 673: 663: 662: 661: 658: 652: 650: 636: 610: 604: 598: 588: 586: 566: 563: 560: 550: 548: 528: 525: 522: 512: 511: 510: 508: 504: 499: 497: 493: 489: 488:contradiction 485: 480: 464: 460: 437: 433: 410: 406: 383: 379: 356: 352: 329: 325: 302: 299: 294: 290: 286: 281: 277: 273: 268: 264: 241: 238: 233: 229: 225: 220: 216: 212: 207: 203: 178: 175: 170: 166: 162: 157: 153: 149: 144: 140: 136: 133: 130: 125: 121: 117: 112: 108: 104: 99: 95: 84: 76: 74: 72: 68: 64: 60: 56: 52: 48: 44: 40: 39: 33: 19: 1227:Proof theory 1199: 1183: 1162: 1158: 1136: 1114: 1100: 1096: 1073: 1069: 1055: 1051: 1028: 1024: 999: 986: 974: 962: 912: 897: 880:inconsistent 878:A system is 873: 862: 767: 729: 691: 659: 656: 628: 584: 546: 500: 481: 80: 77:The cut rule 70: 66: 57:formalising 37: 35: 31: 29: 1076:: 405–431. 1031:: 176–210. 1004:Boolos 1984 979:Kleene 2009 927:normal form 1216:Categories 1014:References 967:Curry 1977 917:through a 904:resolution 853:admissible 36:Gentzen's 1206:EMS Press 1185:MathWorld 1135:(2009) . 1113:(1977) . 750:⊢ 747:Π 741:Γ 712:⊢ 703:Π 674:⊢ 671:Γ 614:Λ 608:Δ 605:⊢ 602:Π 596:Γ 570:Λ 567:⊢ 558:Π 532:Δ 523:⊢ 520:Γ 484:tautology 398:…) then ( 303:… 242:… 179:… 137:⊢ 134:… 38:Hauptsatz 933:See also 67:cut rule 255:proves 83:sequent 1143:  1121:  908:Prolog 954:Notes 810:lemma 692:and 547:and 1141:ISBN 1119:ISBN 946:for 371:and 344:and 61:and 53:and 34:(or 30:The 1078:doi 1033:doi 929:). 452:or 425:or 1218:: 1204:, 1198:, 1182:. 1163:13 1161:. 1099:. 1074:39 1072:. 1054:. 1029:39 1027:. 855:. 81:A 55:LK 51:LJ 1188:. 1149:. 1127:. 1101:2 1084:. 1080:: 1056:1 1039:. 1035:: 894:. 839:A 819:A 796:A 776:B 753:B 744:, 715:B 709:A 706:, 677:A 637:A 611:, 599:, 564:A 561:, 529:, 526:A 465:3 461:B 438:2 434:B 411:1 407:B 384:3 380:A 357:2 353:A 330:1 326:A 315:" 300:, 295:3 291:B 287:, 282:2 278:B 274:, 269:1 265:B 239:, 234:3 230:A 226:, 221:2 217:A 213:, 208:1 204:A 195:" 191:" 176:, 171:3 167:B 163:, 158:2 154:B 150:, 145:1 141:B 131:, 126:3 122:A 118:, 113:2 109:A 105:, 100:1 96:A 87:" 20:)

Index

Cut elimination theorem
sequent calculus
Gerhard Gentzen
LJ
LK
intuitionistic
classical logic
sequent
tautology
contradiction
law of the excluded middle
Jean-Yves Girard
sequent calculus
proof theories
lemma
admissible
analytic proofs
George Boolos
inconsistent
subformula property
proof-theoretic semantics
interpolation theorems
resolution
Prolog
higher-order typed lambda calculus
Curry–Howard isomorphism
strong normalization property
normal form
Deduction theorem
Gentzen's consistency proof

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