Definition:Statement Variable

Definition

A statement variable is a variable which is used to stand for arbitrary and unspecified statements.

For statement variables, lowercase letters are usually used, e.g.:

$p, q, r, \ldots{}$, etc.

or lowercase Greek letters, e.g.:

$\phi, \psi, \chi$ etc.

Equivalent terms for statement variable are:

• Propositional variable;
• Proposition symbol.

Also see

Note the difference between a statement label and a statement variable.

The first is used to identify a particular statement. The latter is used to represent an instance of any statement at all.

Sources

• E.J. Lemmon: Beginning Logic (1965): $\S 1.2$
• Alan G. Hamilton: Logic for Mathematicians (1978): $\S 1.1$
• D.J. O'Connor and Betty Powell: Elementary Logic (1980): $\S 1.1$