Derive each negated component in its own subproof, then combine them. Assumption lines below begin local scopes; the listed discharge ranges close those scopes.
LineFormulaJustification
1Premise
2Assume locally
3Disjunction introduction rule, left, 2
4Negation elimination rule, 1 and 3
5Negation introduction rule, discharging 2–4
6Assume locally
7Disjunction introduction rule, right, 6
8Negation elimination rule, 1 and 7
9Negation introduction rule, discharging 6–8
10Conjunction introduction rule, 5 and 9
Only the original premise remains open. No classical principle is needed for this direction of De Morgan's laws.
The supplied double-negation elimination rule provides the classical step needed to recover each positive component:
LineFormulaJustification
1Premise
2Assume locally
3Disjunction introduction rule, left, 2
4Negation elimination rule, 1 and 3
5Negation introduction rule, discharging 2–4
6Double-negation elimination, 5
7Assume locally
8Disjunction introduction rule, right, 7
9Negation elimination rule, 1 and 8
10Negation introduction rule, discharging 7–9
11Double-negation elimination, 10
12Conjunction introduction rule, 6 and 11
Both local negated assumptions have been discharged. The proof establishes the positive conjunction without assuming an unproved derived version of De Morgan's laws.
Write . We derive the two disjunction introduction rules and the disjunction elimination rule without using any disjunction rule inside the derivations.
For left introduction, start with and temporarily assume . The conjunction elimination rule gives , and the negation elimination rule gives . Discharge the temporary conjunction by the negation introduction rule, concluding . For right introduction, start with and use the right conjunction elimination rule to obtain instead. Thus either input derives the required encoded disjunction.
For elimination, suppose is available, together with a derivation of from an additional assumption and a derivation of from an additional assumption . Keep their common external context fixed. Temporarily assume under label . Temporarily assume under label and insert the supplied first branch derivation to obtain . Negation elimination rule gives , so negation introduction rule discharges and gives . Repeat with a temporary assumption under label and the supplied second branch derivation, discharging to obtain .
Conjunction introduction rule now gives . Its negation gives by negation elimination rule. The supplied reductio ad absurdum rule discharges and yields . This discharges the two branch assumptions as required and proves the encoded elimination rule. Its last step uses classical propositional logic; the same encoded elimination principle is not generally available in Intuitionistic propositional logic.
Let abbreviate . Suitable rules are
Their derivations require no new axiom. For introduction, apply the conjunction introduction rule to the two premises, obtaining , which is exactly the abbreviation. For left and right elimination, unfold the abbreviation and apply the corresponding conjunction elimination rule. These are therefore derived rules for the NOR connective.
An equivalent subproof presentation of introduction permits one subproof from assumption to and another from assumption to : use the negation introduction rule to discharge each assumption, then apply the conjunction introduction rule. If elimination is desired in contradiction form, combine the left projection with , or the right projection with , using the negation elimination rule. All these presentations reduce directly to the permitted rules.