Question

Can you please help me translate the argument into symbolic form?

Answer 1

Let p be: John goes to the beach

Let q be: He will go surfing.

Then in symbolic form, the argument becomes:

$\begin{gathered} p\Rightarrow q \\ p \\ ----------- \\ \therefore q \end{gathered}$

p ⇒ q

p

---------------------

∴ q

An argument is valid if the conjuction of the premises implies the conclusion.

p | q | p ⇒ q | (p ⇒ q) ∧ p | [(p ⇒ q) ∧ p] ⇒ q

---------------------------------------------------------------------\

F | F | T | F | T

F | T | T | F | T

T | F | F | F | T

T | T | T | T | T

The table above shows that the argument is a tautology.

Hence, the argument is valid