Past exam of the logic and set theory course of the University of Oxford 2008 A 4 a Solution 2026-10-31
For a standard classical propositional calculus, strong completeness statesTogether with soundness, this identifies semantic consequence with formal derivability. One proves the contrapositive by the maximal consistent set in propositional logic construction. If , the set is propositionally consistent, by the deduction theorem for propositional logic and classical propositional reasoning. Extend it to a maximal consistent set in propositional logic , deciding each logical formula in turn. At each stage at least one selection of or preserves propositional consistency; a contradiction in the union would use only finitely many assumptions and hence already occur at a stage.
Define a Boolean valuation by exactly when . Maximal consistency in propositional logic gives exactly when , and exactly when either or . Structural induction on logical formulas therefore proves the maximal consistent set truth lemma . Thus satisfies but falsifies , contradicting semantic entailment. The countable language here permits an enumeration of logical formulas; the corresponding general-language argument uses a well-ordering or a principle of maximality in a partially ordered set.