inference rule

inference rule

(logic)A procedure which combines known facts to produce("infer") new facts. For example, given that

1. Socrates is a man and that2. all men are motal,

we can infer that Socrates is mortal. This uses the ruleknown as "modus ponens" which can be written in Boolean algebra as

(A & A => B) => B

(if proposition A is true, and A implies B, then B is true).

Or given that,

1. Either Denis is programming or Denis is sad and2. Denis is not sad,

we can infer that Denis is programming. This rule can bewritten

((A OR B) & not B) => A

(If either A is true or B is true (or both), and B is false,then A must be true).