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Law of Detachment

In mathematical logic, the Law of Detachment says that if the following two statements are true:

(1) If p , then q .

(2) p

Then we can derive a third true statement:

(3) q .

 

Example:

If the following statements are true, use the Law of Detachment to derive a new true statement.

1) If you are a penguin, then you live in the Southern Hemisphere.

2) You are a penguin.

Let p be the statement "you are a penguin", let q be the statement "you live in the Southern Hemisphere".

Then (1) and (2) can be written

1) If p , then q .

2) p .

So, by the Law of Detachment, we can deduce that q is true. That is,

You live in the Southern Hemisphere.