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Lindenbaum algebra


In mathematical logic, the Lindenbaum–Tarski algebra (or Lindenbaum algebra) of a logical theory T consists of the equivalence classes of sentences of the theory (i.e., the quotient, under the equivalence relation ~ defined such that p ~ q exactly when p and q are provably equivalent in T). That is, two sentences are equivalent if the theory T proves that each implies the other. The Lindenbaum–Tarski algebra is thus the quotient algebra obtained by factoring the algebra of formulas by this congruence relation.

The algebra is named for logicians Adolf Lindenbaum and Alfred Tarski. It was first introduced by Tarski in 1935 as a device to establish correspondence between classical propositional calculus and Boolean algebras. The Lindenbaum–Tarski algebra is considered the origin of the modern algebraic logic.

The operations in a Lindenbaum–Tarski algebra A are inherited from those in the underlying theory T. These typically include conjunction and disjunction, which are well-defined on the equivalence classes. When negation is also present in T, then A is a Boolean algebra, provided the logic is classical. If the theory T consists of the propositional tautologies, the Lindenbaum–Tarski algebra is the free Boolean algebra generated by the propositional variables.


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