Disjunction

From Glottopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Disjunction is the combination of two sentences with or. In propositional logic, the disjunction of two formulas phi and psi, written phi v psi, is true if phi is true or psi is true or both, as is shown in the truth-table (i):

(i)  phi		psi	phi v psi
      1			 1	    1
      1			 0	    1
      0			 1	    1
      0			 0	    0

This version of disjunction is called inclusive, because it allows the propositions phi and psi both to be true. Natural language or can also be used exclusively: only one of the two propositions may be true, but not both (either ... or ...).

Link

Utrecht Lexicon of Linguistics

References

  • Gamut, L.T.F. 1991. Logic, language, and meaning, Univ. of Chicago Press, Chicago.