Description: Define proper
substitution. Remark 9.1 in [Megill] p. 447
(p. 15 of the
preprint). For our notation, we use [𝑦 / 𝑥]𝜑 to mean "the wff
that results from the proper substitution of 𝑦 for 𝑥 in the
wff
𝜑". That is, 𝑦
properly replaces 𝑥. For example,
[𝑥 /
𝑦]𝑧 ∈ 𝑦 is the same as 𝑧 ∈ 𝑥, as shown in elsb4 2516. We
can also use [𝑦 / 𝑥]𝜑 in place of the "free for"
side condition
used in traditional predicate calculus; see, for example, stdpc4 2428.
Our notation was introduced in Haskell B. Curry's Foundations of
Mathematical Logic (1977), p. 316 and is frequently used in textbooks
of
lambda calculus and combinatory logic. This notation improves the common
but ambiguous notation, "𝜑(𝑦) is the wff that results when 𝑦
is properly substituted for 𝑥 in 𝜑(𝑥)". For example, if the
original 𝜑(𝑥) is 𝑥 = 𝑦, then 𝜑(𝑦) is 𝑦 = 𝑦, from
which we obtain that 𝜑(𝑥) is 𝑥 = 𝑥. So what exactly does
𝜑(𝑥) mean? Curry's notation
solves this problem.
In most books, proper substitution has a somewhat complicated recursive
definition with multiple cases based on the occurrences of free and bound
variables in the wff. Instead, we use a single formula that is exactly
equivalent and gives us a direct definition. We later prove that our
definition has the properties we expect of proper substitution (see
theorems sbequ 2452, sbcom2 2523 and sbid2v 2490).
Note that our definition is valid even when 𝑥 and 𝑦 are
replaced
with the same variable, as sbid 2232 shows. We achieve this by having 𝑥
free in the first conjunct and bound in the second. We can also achieve
this by using a dummy variable, as the alternate definition dfsb7 2535 shows
(which some logicians may prefer because it does not mix free and bound
variables). Another version that mixes free and bound variables is
dfsb3 2450. When 𝑥 and 𝑦 are distinct, we can
express proper
substitution with the simpler expressions of sb5 2251
and sb6 2250.
There are no restrictions on any of the variables, including what
variables may occur in wff 𝜑. (Contributed by NM,
10-May-1993.) |