Solution (source code)

= Solution

Expand three cases as two applications of <disjunction elimination rule>. For the association $(\phi\lor\psi)\lor\rho$, the first outer branch assumes $\phi\lor\psi$ and applies the given $\phi$ and $\psi$ subproofs to obtain $\kappa$. The other outer branch is the given $\rho$ subproof. In schematic <natural deduction> form:

``
1  (φ ∨ ψ) ∨ ρ                         given
2  | φ ∨ ψ                             first outer case
3  | | φ                               first inner case
4  | | κ                               given φ-subproof
5  | | ψ                               second inner case
6  | | κ                               given ψ-subproof
7  | κ                                 ∨-elim, 2, cases 3–4 and 5–6
8  | ρ                                 second outer case
9  | κ                                 given ρ-subproof
10 κ                                   ∨-elim, 1, cases 2–7 and 8–9
``

All three case assumptions are discharged and common surrounding assumptions remain. If the original three-way <logical disjunction> is parsed as $\phi\lor(\psi\lor\rho)$, use the $\phi$ subproof as the first outer branch and eliminate $\psi\lor\rho$ inside the second. Thus either binary association has the asserted <three-case disjunction elimination>, without presupposing an unproved <associativity>.