Let us make up a logic in which there are three truth-values, T, F, and M, instead of the two truth-values T and F. And, instead of the usual rules, let us adopt the following:
(a) If either component in a disjunction is true (T), the disjunction is true; if both components are false, the disjunction is false (F); and in all other cases (both components middle, or one component middle and one false) the disjunction is middle (M).
(b) If either component in a conjunction is false (F), the conjunction is false; if both components are true, the conjunction is true (T); and in all other cases (both components middle, or one component middle and one true) the conjunction is middle (M).
(c) A conditional with true antecedent has the same truth-value as its consequent; one with false consequent has the same truth-value as the denial of its antecedent; one with true consequent or false antecedent is true; and one with both components middle (M) is true.
(d) The denial of a true statement is false; of a false one true; of a middle one middle.
These rules are consistent with all the usual rules with respect to the values T and F. But someone who accepts three truth values, and who accepts a notion of tautology based on a system of truth-rules like that just outlined, will end up with a different stock of tautologies than someone who reckons with just two truth values.
To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure no-reply@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.
Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.
Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.
To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.
To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.