
An Introduction to Proof Theory
Normalization, Cut-Elimination, and Consistency Proofs
Oxford University Press
Published on 17. August 2021
Book
Hardback
432 pages
978-0-19-289593-6 (ISBN)
Description
An Introduction to Proof Theory provides an accessible introduction to the theory of proofs, with details of proofs worked out and examples and exercises to aid the reader's understanding. It also serves as a companion to reading the original pathbreaking articles by Gerhard Gentzen. The first half covers topics in structural proof theory, including the Goedel-Gentzen translation of classical into intuitionistic logic (and arithmetic), natural deduction and the normalization theorems (for both NJ and NK), the sequent calculus, including cut-elimination and mid-sequent theorems, and various applications of these results. The second half examines ordinal proof theory, specifically Gentzen's consistency proof for first-order Peano Arithmetic. The theory of ordinal notations and other elements of ordinal theory are developed from scratch, and no knowledge of set theory is presumed. The proof methods needed to establish proof-theoretic results, especially proof by induction, are introduced in stages throughout the text. Mancosu, Galvan, and Zach's introduction will provide a solid foundation for those looking to understand this central area of mathematical logic and the philosophy of mathematics.
Reviews / Votes
This book deals with the main concerns in proof theory in the first third of the 20th century. A culmination of research in this area at that time was Gerhard Gentzen's work, in particular, his papers on natural deduction, on sequent calculi and on the proof of the consistency of arithmetic... The authors of the book under review incorporate the results of some of these developments in the text (or mention them in footnotes). * Katalin Bimbo, MathSciNet *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Dimensions
Height: 240 mm
Width: 161 mm
Thickness: 28 mm
Weight
810 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-289593-6 (9780192895936)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Paolo Mancosu | Sergio Galvan | Richard Zach
An Introduction to Proof Theory
Normalization, Cut-Elimination, and Consistency Proofs
Book
08/2021
Oxford University Press
€38.43
Shipment within 15-20 days

Paolo Mancosu | Sergio Galvan | Richard Zach
An Introduction to Proof Theory
Normalization, Cut-Elimination, and Consistency Proofs
E-Book
08/2021
1st Edition
OUP eBook
€20.99
Available for download
Persons
Paolo Mancosu is Willis S. and Marion Slusser Professor of Philosophy at the University of California at Berkeley. He is the author of numerous articles and books in logic and philosophy of mathematics. During his career he has taught at Stanford, Oxford, and Yale. He was awarded a fellowship at the Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin in 1997-1998, a stipendiary position as Directeur de recherche invite; au CNRS in Paris in 2004-2005, a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2008-2009, a position as member at the Institute of Advanced Study in Princeton in 2009, a visiting professorship as LMU-UCB Research in the Humanities at LMU in 2014, and a Humboldt Research Award in 2017-2018.
Sergio Galvan is emeritus Professor of Logic at the Catholic University of Milan, Italy. His main areas of research are proof-theory and philosophical logic. In the first area he focuses on sequent calculi and natural deduction, the metamathematics of arithmetic systems (from Q to PA), Goedel's incompleteness theorems, and Gentzen's cut-elimination theorem. In the second area, his major interest is in the philosophical interpretations (deontic, epistemic and metaphysical) of modal logic. Recently, he has been working on the relationships between formal proof and intuition in mathematics, and on the metaphysics of essence and the ontology of possibilia.
Richard Zach is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Calgary, Canada. He works in logic, history of analytic philosophy, and the philosophy of mathematics. In logic, his main interests are non-classical logics and proof theory. He has also written on the development of formal logic and historical figures associated with this development such as Hilbert, Goedel, and Carnap. He has held visiting appointments at the University of California, Irvine, McGill University, and the University of Technology, Vienna.
Sergio Galvan is emeritus Professor of Logic at the Catholic University of Milan, Italy. His main areas of research are proof-theory and philosophical logic. In the first area he focuses on sequent calculi and natural deduction, the metamathematics of arithmetic systems (from Q to PA), Goedel's incompleteness theorems, and Gentzen's cut-elimination theorem. In the second area, his major interest is in the philosophical interpretations (deontic, epistemic and metaphysical) of modal logic. Recently, he has been working on the relationships between formal proof and intuition in mathematics, and on the metaphysics of essence and the ontology of possibilia.
Richard Zach is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Calgary, Canada. He works in logic, history of analytic philosophy, and the philosophy of mathematics. In logic, his main interests are non-classical logics and proof theory. He has also written on the development of formal logic and historical figures associated with this development such as Hilbert, Goedel, and Carnap. He has held visiting appointments at the University of California, Irvine, McGill University, and the University of Technology, Vienna.
Author
Willis S. and Marion Slusser Professor of PhilosophyWillis S. and Marion Slusser Professor of Philosophy, University of California at Berkeley
Emeritus Professor of LogicEmeritus Professor of Logic, Catholic University of Milan
Professor of PhilosophyProfessor of Philosophy, University of Calgary
Content
Preface
1 Introduction
2 Axiomatic calculi
3 Natural deduction
4 Normal deductions
5 The sequent calculus
6 The cut-elimination theorem
7 The consistency of arithmetic
8 Constructive ordinals and induction
9 The consistency of arithmetic, continued
Appendices:
A The Greek alphabet
B Set-theoretic notation
C Axioms, rules, and theorems of axiomatic calculi
D Exercises on axiomatic derivations
E Natural deduction
F Sequent calculus
G Outline of the cut elimination theorem
1 Introduction
2 Axiomatic calculi
3 Natural deduction
4 Normal deductions
5 The sequent calculus
6 The cut-elimination theorem
7 The consistency of arithmetic
8 Constructive ordinals and induction
9 The consistency of arithmetic, continued
Appendices:
A The Greek alphabet
B Set-theoretic notation
C Axioms, rules, and theorems of axiomatic calculi
D Exercises on axiomatic derivations
E Natural deduction
F Sequent calculus
G Outline of the cut elimination theorem