[FOM] Nomenclature - logical formulas and term

[Gianluigi Oliveri]

Dear FOMers,

A possible suggestion is 'proper word'. In fact, if by 'word' on the 
alphabet  A of, for instance, first-order logic we mean a finite string of 
symbols belonging to A, we could say that a proper word on A is a word on A 
that is either a term or a well formed formula (according to the usual 
inductive definitions).

The advantage of this suggestion seems to be that we do not introduce any 
improper semantic element, as in the case of 'designator', as a solution of 
what appears to be a syntactic question.

Gianluigi Oliveri

---

Università di Palermo
Dipartimento di Filosofia, Storia e
Critica dei Saperi
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90128 Palermo
ITALIA

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> On Wed, 5 Nov 2008, John Baldwin wrote:
>
>> Logicians routine define a formal language by defining inductively
>> terms and formulas.
>>
>> Is there a good word for the union of these classes?  `Expression' 
>> springs
>> to mind. Unfortunately, expression is a frequent synonym for term
>> (especially >> in high school algebra).
>>
>> Shoenfield used `designator' but that seems too technical when speaking
>> with mathematics educators.
>>
>> John T. Baldwin
>> Professor Emeritus
>> Department of Mathematics, Statistics,
>> and Computer Science  M/C 249
>> jbaldwin at uic.edu
>> 312-413-2149
>> Room 613 Science and Engineering Offices (SEO)
>> 851 S. Morgan
>> Chicago, IL 60607
>>
>>
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