Proof theory

Proof theory is a major branch of mathematical logic that represents proofs as formal mathematical objects, facilitating their analysis by mathematical techniques.

Description

Proofs are typically presented as inductively-defined data structures such as plain lists, boxed lists, or trees, which are constructed according to the axioms and rules of inference of the logical system.

As such, proof theory is syntactic in nature, in contrast to model theory, which is semantic in nature.

Some of the major areas of proof theory include structural proof theory, ordinal analysis, provability logic, reverse mathematics, proof mining, automated theorem proving, and proof complexity.

Much research also focuses on applications in computer science, linguistics, and philosophy.

See also

• Intermediate logic
• Model theory
• Proof (truth)
• Proof techniques

External links

• Proof theory @ Wikipedia