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Minimal axioms for Boolean algebra

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In 1973, Padmanabhan and Quackenbush demonstrated a method that, in principle, would yield a 1-basis for Boolean algebra. Applying this method in a straightforward manner yielded "axioms of enormous length", thereby prompting the question of how shorter axioms might be found. This search yielded the
921: 263: 635: 456: 140: 156:, by enumerating the Sheffer identities of length less or equal to 15 elements (excluding mirror images) that have no noncommutative models with four or fewer variables, and was first proven equivalent by 792: 370: 549: 489:. This proof established that the Robbins axiom, together with associativity and commutativity, form a 3-basis for Boolean algebra. The existence of a 2-basis was established in 1967 by 700: 1625: 172:, a site associated with Wolfram, has named the axiom the "Wolfram axiom". McCune et al. also found a longer single axiom for Boolean algebra based on disjunction and negation. 1654: 308: 804: 1730: 1755: 1530: 1701: 1501: 1476: 1784: 1821: 1596: 1559: 1430: 479: 1384: 185: 1133: 1085:
Huntington, E. V. (1933). "New Sets of Independent Postulates for the Algebra of Logic, with Special Reference to Whitehead and Russell's
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as being equivalent to Boolean algebra, when combined with the commutativity of the
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where the vertical bar represents the NAND logical operation (also known as the
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The following year, Meredith found a 2-basis in terms of the Sheffer stroke:
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1-basis in terms of the Sheffer stroke given above, as well as the 1-basis
1763: 1680: 1604: 1571: 481:. Neither Robbins nor Huntington could prove this conjecture; nor could 1538: 43:), chosen to be as short as possible. For example, an axiom with six 630:{\displaystyle \neg ({\neg x}\lor y)\lor (z\lor y)=y\lor (z\lor x).} 451:{\displaystyle \neg (\neg (x\lor y)\lor \neg (x\lor {\neg y}))=x,} 152:
It is one of 25 candidate axioms for this property identified by
135:{\displaystyle ((a\mid b)\mid c)\mid (a\mid ((a\mid c)\mid a))=c} 47:
operations and three variables is equivalent to Boolean algebra:
1366: 1334:"Equational theories of algebras with distributive congruences" 461:
which requires one fewer use of the logical negation operator
787:{\displaystyle x|(y\mid (x\mid z))=((z\mid y)\mid y)\mid x.} 1157:
McCune, William (1997). "Solution of the Robbins Problem".
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conjectured that Huntington's axiom could be replaced by
953:"Logic, Explainability and the Future of Understanding" 35:
are assumptions which are equivalent to the axioms of
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(1973). 1199:"Computer Math Proof Shows Reasoning Power" 1385: 1371: 1363: 695:{\displaystyle (x\mid x)\mid (y\mid x)=x,} 1808: 1771: 1742: 1717: 1688: 1641: 1612: 1583: 1546: 1517: 1488: 1463: 1417: 1350: 1308: 1262: 806: 713: 708: 648: 565: 557: 509: 501: 466: 425: 384: 315: 277: 237: 226: 219: 207: 196: 189: 187: 55: 1002: 1000: 998: 996: 943: 310:, and the assumption of associativity, 1620:{\displaystyle \not \leftrightarrow } 7: 1810: 1585: 1419: 1063:Rowland, Todd; Weisstein, Eric W. 1014:; Harris, Kenneth; Feist, Andrew; 877: 868: 862: 850: 820: 814: 808: 566: 559: 510: 503: 468: 426: 413: 392: 386: 238: 227: 220: 197: 190: 33:minimal axioms for Boolean algebra 25: 1352:10.1090/S0002-9939-1973-0325498-2 1832: 1649:{\displaystyle \leftrightarrow } 1438: 303:{\displaystyle x\lor y=y\lor x} 1690: 1643: 1519: 1490: 1465: 1211:McCune, William (1997-01-23). 1160:Journal of Automated Reasoning 1021:Journal of Automated Reasoning 901: 898: 895: 892: 880: 865: 853: 844: 835: 823: 817: 811: 772: 763: 751: 748: 742: 739: 727: 718: 714: 680: 668: 662: 650: 621: 609: 597: 585: 579: 562: 523: 506: 436: 433: 416: 407: 395: 389: 359: 347: 329: 317: 245: 223: 212: 193: 123: 120: 111: 99: 96: 87: 81: 72: 60: 57: 1: 1725:{\displaystyle \nrightarrow } 926:which is written in terms of 1750:{\displaystyle \nleftarrow } 1525:{\displaystyle \rightarrow } 1696:{\displaystyle \downarrow } 1496:{\displaystyle \leftarrow } 1218:Argonne National Laboratory 1213:"Comments on Robbins Story" 1889: 1296:Notre Dame J. Formal Logic 1250:Notre Dame J. Formal Logic 1120:Cylindric Algebras, Part I 177:Edward Vermilye Huntington 1829: 1792: 1672: 1567: 1471:{\displaystyle \uparrow } 1447: 1436: 1401: 1310:10.1305/ndjfl/1093893713 1264:10.1305/ndjfl/1093893457 957:Stephen Worfram Writings 487:theorem-proving software 1735:Converse nonimplication 1173:10.1023/A:1005843212881 1092:Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 1034:10.1023/A:1020542009983 1873:Propositional calculus 1817: 1780: 1779:{\displaystyle \land } 1751: 1726: 1697: 1650: 1621: 1592: 1555: 1526: 1497: 1472: 1426: 1339:Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 917: 788: 696: 631: 545: 475: 452: 366: 304: 259: 136: 41:propositional calculus 1839:Philosophy portal 1818: 1816:{\displaystyle \bot } 1781: 1752: 1727: 1698: 1651: 1622: 1593: 1591:{\displaystyle \neg } 1556: 1554:{\displaystyle \lor } 1527: 1498: 1473: 1427: 1425:{\displaystyle \top } 1087:Principia Mathematica 976:A New Kind of Science 918: 789: 697: 632: 546: 491:Carew Arthur Meredith 476: 474:{\displaystyle \neg } 453: 367: 305: 260: 179:identified the axiom 137: 1807: 1770: 1741: 1716: 1687: 1640: 1611: 1582: 1545: 1516: 1487: 1481:Converse implication 1462: 1416: 805: 707: 647: 556: 500: 465: 383: 314: 276: 186: 54: 1395:logical connectives 1112:; Monk, J. Donald; 1813: 1776: 1747: 1722: 1693: 1646: 1617: 1588: 1551: 1522: 1493: 1468: 1452:Alternative denial 1422: 1245:"Equational logic" 1204:The New York Times 1010:; Veroff, Robert; 951:Wolfram, Stephen. 913: 784: 692: 627: 541: 471: 448: 362: 300: 255: 132: 29:mathematical logic 1845: 1844: 1135:978-0-7204-2043-2 1012:Fitelson, Branden 979:. Wolfram Media. 16:(Redirected from 1880: 1863:History of logic 1837: 1836: 1835: 1822: 1820: 1819: 1814: 1785: 1783: 1782: 1777: 1756: 1754: 1753: 1748: 1731: 1729: 1728: 1723: 1702: 1700: 1699: 1694: 1655: 1653: 1652: 1647: 1626: 1624: 1623: 1618: 1597: 1595: 1594: 1589: 1560: 1558: 1557: 1552: 1531: 1529: 1528: 1523: 1502: 1500: 1499: 1494: 1477: 1475: 1474: 1469: 1442: 1431: 1429: 1428: 1423: 1387: 1380: 1373: 1364: 1357: 1356: 1354: 1329: 1323: 1322: 1312: 1283: 1277: 1276: 1266: 1233: 1227: 1226: 1221:. Archived from 1209:For errata, see 1208: 1191: 1185: 1184: 1154: 1148: 1147: 1123: 1106: 1100: 1099: 1082: 1076: 1075: 1074: 1059: 1053: 1052: 1004: 991: 990: 971:Wolfram, Stephen 967: 961: 960: 948: 922: 920: 919: 914: 793: 791: 790: 785: 717: 701: 699: 698: 693: 636: 634: 633: 628: 572: 550: 548: 547: 542: 516: 480: 478: 477: 472: 457: 455: 454: 449: 432: 371: 369: 368: 363: 309: 307: 306: 301: 264: 262: 261: 256: 248: 244: 233: 215: 211: 203: 162:Branden Fitelson 141: 139: 138: 133: 21: 1888: 1887: 1883: 1882: 1881: 1879: 1878: 1877: 1858:Boolean algebra 1848: 1847: 1846: 1841: 1833: 1831: 1825: 1805: 1804: 1788: 1768: 1767: 1739: 1738: 1714: 1713: 1685: 1684: 1668: 1638: 1637: 1609: 1608: 1580: 1579: 1563: 1543: 1542: 1514: 1513: 1485: 1484: 1460: 1459: 1443: 1434: 1414: 1413: 1397: 1391: 1361: 1360: 1331: 1330: 1326: 1287:Meredith, C. A. 1285: 1284: 1280: 1237:Meredith, C. A. 1235: 1234: 1230: 1210: 1193: 1192: 1188: 1156: 1155: 1151: 1136: 1108: 1107: 1103: 1084: 1083: 1079: 1065:"Wolfram Axiom" 1062: 1061: 1060: 1056: 1008:McCune, William 1006: 1005: 994: 987: 969: 968: 964: 950: 949: 945: 940: 803: 802: 705: 704: 645: 644: 554: 553: 498: 497: 463: 462: 381: 380: 374:Herbert Robbins 312: 311: 274: 273: 184: 183: 154:Stephen Wolfram 52: 51: 37:Boolean algebra 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1886: 1884: 1876: 1875: 1870: 1865: 1860: 1850: 1849: 1843: 1842: 1830: 1827: 1826: 1824: 1823: 1812: 1793: 1790: 1789: 1787: 1786: 1775: 1757: 1746: 1732: 1721: 1706:Nonimplication 1703: 1692: 1673: 1670: 1669: 1667: 1666: 1663:Digital buffer 1656: 1645: 1627: 1616: 1598: 1587: 1568: 1565: 1564: 1562: 1561: 1550: 1532: 1521: 1503: 1492: 1478: 1467: 1448: 1445: 1444: 1437: 1435: 1433: 1432: 1421: 1402: 1399: 1398: 1392: 1390: 1389: 1382: 1375: 1367: 1359: 1358: 1345:(2): 373–377. 1324: 1303:(3): 266–270. 1278: 1257:(3): 212–226. 1228: 1225:on 1997-06-05. 1197:(1996-12-10). 1186: 1167:(3): 263–276. 1149: 1134: 1114:Tarski, Alfred 1101: 1077: 1054: 992: 986:978-1579550080 985: 962: 942: 941: 939: 936: 924: 923: 912: 909: 906: 903: 900: 897: 894: 891: 888: 885: 882: 879: 876: 873: 870: 867: 864: 861: 858: 855: 852: 849: 846: 843: 840: 837: 834: 831: 828: 825: 822: 819: 816: 813: 810: 795: 794: 783: 780: 777: 774: 771: 768: 765: 762: 759: 756: 753: 750: 747: 744: 741: 738: 735: 732: 729: 726: 723: 720: 716: 712: 702: 691: 688: 685: 682: 679: 676: 673: 670: 667: 664: 661: 658: 655: 652: 638: 637: 626: 623: 620: 617: 614: 611: 608: 605: 602: 599: 596: 593: 590: 587: 584: 581: 578: 575: 571: 568: 564: 561: 551: 540: 537: 534: 531: 528: 525: 522: 519: 515: 512: 508: 505: 470: 459: 458: 447: 444: 441: 438: 435: 431: 428: 424: 421: 418: 415: 412: 409: 406: 403: 400: 397: 394: 391: 388: 361: 358: 355: 352: 349: 346: 343: 340: 337: 334: 331: 328: 325: 322: 319: 299: 296: 293: 290: 287: 284: 281: 266: 265: 254: 251: 247: 243: 240: 236: 232: 229: 225: 222: 218: 214: 210: 206: 202: 199: 195: 192: 158:William McCune 147:Sheffer stroke 143: 142: 131: 128: 125: 122: 119: 116: 113: 110: 107: 104: 101: 98: 95: 92: 89: 86: 83: 80: 77: 74: 71: 68: 65: 62: 59: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1885: 1874: 1871: 1869: 1866: 1864: 1861: 1859: 1856: 1855: 1853: 1840: 1828: 1802: 1798: 1797:Contradiction 1795: 1794: 1791: 1773: 1765: 1761: 1758: 1744: 1736: 1733: 1719: 1711: 1707: 1704: 1682: 1678: 1675: 1674: 1671: 1664: 1660: 1657: 1635: 1631: 1630:Biconditional 1628: 1614: 1606: 1602: 1599: 1577: 1573: 1570: 1569: 1566: 1548: 1540: 1536: 1533: 1511: 1507: 1504: 1482: 1479: 1457: 1453: 1450: 1449: 1446: 1441: 1411: 1407: 1404: 1403: 1400: 1396: 1388: 1383: 1381: 1376: 1374: 1369: 1368: 1365: 1353: 1348: 1344: 1341: 1340: 1335: 1328: 1325: 1320: 1316: 1311: 1306: 1302: 1298: 1297: 1292: 1288: 1282: 1279: 1274: 1270: 1265: 1260: 1256: 1252: 1251: 1246: 1242: 1238: 1232: 1229: 1224: 1220: 1219: 1214: 1206: 1205: 1200: 1196: 1190: 1187: 1182: 1178: 1174: 1170: 1166: 1162: 1161: 1153: 1150: 1145: 1141: 1137: 1131: 1127: 1126:North-Holland 1122: 1121: 1115: 1111: 1105: 1102: 1097: 1094: 1093: 1088: 1081: 1078: 1072: 1071: 1066: 1058: 1055: 1051: 1047: 1043: 1039: 1035: 1031: 1027: 1023: 1022: 1017: 1013: 1009: 1003: 1001: 999: 997: 993: 988: 982: 978: 977: 972: 966: 963: 958: 954: 947: 944: 937: 935: 933: 929: 910: 907: 904: 889: 886: 883: 874: 871: 859: 856: 847: 841: 838: 832: 829: 826: 801: 800: 799: 781: 778: 775: 769: 766: 760: 757: 754: 745: 736: 733: 730: 724: 721: 710: 703: 689: 686: 683: 677: 674: 671: 665: 659: 656: 653: 643: 642: 641: 624: 618: 615: 612: 606: 603: 600: 594: 591: 588: 582: 576: 573: 569: 552: 538: 535: 532: 529: 526: 520: 517: 513: 496: 495: 494: 492: 488: 484: 483:Alfred Tarski 445: 442: 439: 429: 422: 419: 410: 404: 401: 398: 379: 378: 377: 375: 356: 353: 350: 344: 341: 338: 335: 332: 326: 323: 320: 297: 294: 291: 288: 285: 282: 279: 271: 252: 249: 241: 234: 230: 216: 208: 204: 200: 182: 181: 180: 178: 173: 171: 167: 163: 159: 155: 150: 148: 129: 126: 117: 114: 108: 105: 102: 93: 90: 84: 78: 75: 69: 66: 63: 50: 49: 48: 46: 42: 38: 34: 30: 19: 18:Wolfram axiom 1677:Joint denial 1601:Exclusive or 1342: 1337: 1327: 1300: 1294: 1281: 1254: 1248: 1241:Prior, A. N. 1231: 1223:the original 1216: 1202: 1195:Kolata, Gina 1189: 1164: 1158: 1152: 1119: 1110:Henkin, Leon 1104: 1095: 1090: 1086: 1080: 1068: 1057: 1025: 1019: 974: 965: 956: 946: 925: 796: 639: 460: 267: 174: 151: 144: 32: 26: 1868:Logic gates 1760:Conjunction 1710:NIMPLY gate 1535:Disjunction 1506:Implication 1028:(1): 1–16, 272:operation, 1852:Categories 1510:IMPLY gate 1144:1024041028 1098:: 247–304. 1016:Wos, Larry 938:References 1811:⊥ 1774:∧ 1745:↚ 1720:↛ 1691:↓ 1659:Statement 1644:↔ 1634:XNOR gate 1586:¬ 1549:∨ 1520:→ 1491:← 1466:↑ 1456:NAND gate 1420:⊤ 1406:Tautology 1070:MathWorld 1050:207582048 887:∨ 878:¬ 875:∨ 869:¬ 863:¬ 860:∨ 851:¬ 848:∨ 839:∨ 830:∨ 821:¬ 815:¬ 809:¬ 776:∣ 767:∣ 758:∣ 734:∣ 725:∣ 675:∣ 666:∣ 657:∣ 616:∨ 607:∨ 592:∨ 583:∨ 574:∨ 567:¬ 560:¬ 527:∨ 518:∨ 511:¬ 504:¬ 469:¬ 427:¬ 423:∨ 414:¬ 411:∨ 402:∨ 393:¬ 387:¬ 354:∨ 345:∨ 333:∨ 324:∨ 295:∨ 283:∨ 239:¬ 235:∨ 228:¬ 221:¬ 217:∨ 205:∨ 198:¬ 191:¬ 175:In 1933, 170:MathWorld 166:Larry Wos 115:∣ 106:∣ 94:∣ 85:∣ 76:∣ 67:∣ 1764:AND gate 1681:NOR gate 1615:↮ 1605:XOR gate 1576:NOT gate 1572:Negation 1289:(1969). 1243:(1968). 1181:30847540 1116:(1971). 973:(2002). 1766:)  1762: ( 1712:)  1708: ( 1683:)  1679: ( 1661: ( 1636:)  1632: ( 1607:)  1603: ( 1578:)  1574: ( 1541:)  1539:OR gate 1537: ( 1512:)  1508: ( 1458:)  1454: ( 1393:Common 1319:0245423 1273:0246753 1042:1940227 1803:  1737:  1483:  1412:  1317:  1271:  1179:  1142:  1132:  1048:  1040:  983:  164:, and 1801:False 1177:S2CID 1046:S2CID 1410:True 1140:OCLC 1130:ISBN 981:ISBN 930:and 45:NAND 39:(or 1347:doi 1305:doi 1259:doi 1169:doi 1089:". 1030:doi 932:NOT 149:). 27:In 1854:: 1343:41 1336:. 1315:MR 1313:. 1301:10 1299:. 1293:. 1269:MR 1267:. 1253:. 1247:. 1239:; 1215:. 1201:. 1175:. 1165:19 1163:. 1138:. 1128:. 1124:. 1096:25 1067:. 1044:, 1038:MR 1036:, 1026:29 1024:, 995:^ 955:. 934:. 928:OR 493:: 372:. 270:OR 168:. 160:, 31:, 1799:/ 1665:) 1408:/ 1386:e 1379:t 1372:v 1355:. 1349:: 1321:. 1307:: 1275:. 1261:: 1255:9 1207:. 1183:. 1171:: 1146:. 1073:. 1032:: 989:. 959:. 911:, 908:z 905:= 902:) 899:) 896:) 893:) 890:u 884:z 881:( 872:z 866:( 857:x 854:( 845:) 842:z 836:) 833:y 827:x 824:( 818:( 812:( 782:. 779:x 773:) 770:y 764:) 761:y 755:z 752:( 749:( 746:= 743:) 740:) 737:z 731:x 728:( 722:y 719:( 715:| 711:x 690:, 687:x 684:= 681:) 678:x 672:y 669:( 663:) 660:x 654:x 651:( 625:. 622:) 619:x 613:z 610:( 604:y 601:= 598:) 595:y 589:z 586:( 580:) 577:y 570:x 563:( 539:, 536:x 533:= 530:x 524:) 521:y 514:x 507:( 446:, 443:x 440:= 437:) 434:) 430:y 420:x 417:( 408:) 405:y 399:x 396:( 390:( 360:) 357:z 351:y 348:( 342:x 339:= 336:z 330:) 327:y 321:x 318:( 298:x 292:y 289:= 286:y 280:x 253:x 250:= 246:) 242:y 231:x 224:( 213:) 209:y 201:x 194:( 130:c 127:= 124:) 121:) 118:a 112:) 109:c 103:a 100:( 97:( 91:a 88:( 82:) 79:c 73:) 70:b 64:a 61:( 58:( 20:)

Index

Wolfram axiom
mathematical logic
Boolean algebra
propositional calculus
NAND
Sheffer stroke
Stephen Wolfram
William McCune
Branden Fitelson
Larry Wos
MathWorld
Edward Vermilye Huntington
OR
Herbert Robbins
Alfred Tarski
theorem-proving software
Carew Arthur Meredith
OR
NOT
"Logic, Explainability and the Future of Understanding"
Wolfram, Stephen
A New Kind of Science
ISBN
978-1579550080




McCune, William
Fitelson, Branden

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