Definition:Proposition

Definition

A proposition is a statement which is offered up for investigation as to its truth or falsehood.

Loosely, a proposition is a statement which is about to be proved (or disproved).

Also defined as

Some sources, while appreciating the need under certain circumstances to do so, do not distinguish between the concept of a statement, as defined here on $\mathsf{Pr} \infty \mathsf{fWiki}$, and a proposition, using the terms interchangeably:

There are good reasons, which fortunately we do not need to go into, for avoiding the term 'proposition'. On the other hand, we shall, in the early sections of this book, be working with what is known as the Propositional Calculus. We shall use the terms 'statement' and 'proposition' interchangeably.

1980: D.J. O'Connor and Betty Powell: Elementary Logic: $\S 1.1$

This practice is often seen in the field of mathematical logic.

Also see

• Results about propositions can be found here.

Sources

• 1965: E.J. Lemmon: Beginning Logic ... (previous) ... (next): Chapter $1$: The Propositional Calculus $1$: $1$ The Nature of Logic
• 1973: Irving M. Copi: Symbolic Logic (4th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): $1$ Introduction: Logic and Language: $1.2$: The Nature of Argument
• 1980: D.J. O'Connor and Betty Powell: Elementary Logic ... (previous) ... (next): $\S \text{I}: 1$: The Logic of Statements $(1)$
• 1993: M. Ben-Ari: Mathematical Logic for Computer Science ... (previous) ... (next): Chapter $1$: Introduction: $\S 1.2$: Propositional and predicate calculus
• 2014: Christopher Clapham and James Nicholson: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Mathematics (5th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): proposition