English

Investigations into Proof Structures

Logic in Computer Science 2024-10-31 v3 Artificial Intelligence

Abstract

We introduce and elaborate a novel formalism for the manipulation and analysis of proofs as objects in a global manner. In this first approach the formalism is restricted to first-order problems characterized by condensed detachment. It is applied in an exemplary manner to a coherent and comprehensive formal reconstruction and analysis of historical proofs of a widely-studied problem due to {\L}ukasiewicz. The underlying approach opens the door towards new systematic ways of generating lemmas in the course of proof search to the effects of reducing the search effort and finding shorter proofs. Among the numerous reported experiments along this line, a proof of {\L}ukasiewicz's problem was automatically discovered that is much shorter than any proof found before by man or machine.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2304.12827,
  title  = {Investigations into Proof Structures},
  author = {Christoph Wernhard and Wolfgang Bibel},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2304.12827},
  year   = {2024}
}

Comments

This article is a continuation of arXiv:2104.13645

R2 v1 2026-06-28T10:17:13.890Z