Questions tagged [boolean-algebra]

Boolean algebras are structures which behave similar to a power set with complement, intersection and union. Use this tag for questions about Boolean algebras as structures, or about functions defined from/to Boolean algebras. For Boolean logic use the tag propositional-calculus.

Boolean algebras are structures which behave similar to a power set with complement, intersection and union. Use this tag for questions about Boolean algebras as structures, or about functions defined from/to Boolean algebras.

A Boolean algebra uses Boolean variables, typically denoted by capital letters, e.g. $A,B$, which can only take the values $0$ or $1$. Operators are $\land$ (conjunction), $\lor$ (disjunction) and $\lnot$ (negation).

For Boolean logic use the tag .

3148 questions
245
votes
1 answer

Is this really a categorical approach to integration?

Here's an article by Reinhard Börger I found recently whose title and content, prima facie, seem quite exciting to me, given my misadventures lately (like this and this); it's called, "A Categorical Approach to Integration". The Abstract: "We…
33
votes
5 answers

Prove XOR is commutative and associative?

Through the use of Boolean algebra, show that the XOR operator ⊕ is both commutative and associative. I know I can show using a truth table. But using boolean algebra? How do I show? I totally have no clue. Any help please?
33
votes
1 answer

Universal binary operation and finite fields (ring)

Take Boolean Algebra for instance, the underlying finite field/ring $0, 1, \{AND, OR\}$ is equivalent to $ 0, 1, \{NAND\} $ or $ 0, 1, \{ NOR \}$ where NAND and NOR are considered as universal gates. Does this property, that AND ('multiplication')…
28
votes
6 answers

Is XOR a combination of AND and NOT operators?

I'm not sure whether this is the best place to ask this, but is the XOR binary operator a combination of AND+NOT operators?
28
votes
2 answers

Any two points in a Stone space can be disconnected by clopen sets

Let $B$ be a Stone space (compact, Hausdorff, and totally disconnected). Then I am basically certain (because of Stone's representation theorem) that if $a, b \in B$ are two distinct points in $B$, then $B$ can be written as a disjoint union $U…
Qiaochu Yuan
  • 468,795
26
votes
6 answers

Duality principle in boolean algebra

All the definitions I came across so far stated, that if a statement is true, then also its dual statement is true and this dual statement is obtained by changing + for ., 0 for 1 and vice versa. However when I say 1+1, whose dual statement…
jcxz
  • 363
  • 1
  • 3
  • 5
23
votes
3 answers

De-Morgan's theorem for 3 variables?

The most relative that I found on Google for de morgan's 3 variable was: (ABC)' = A' + B' + C'. I didn't find the answer for my question, therefore I'll ask here: What is De-Morgan's theorem for (A + B + C)'?
Billie
  • 3,564
22
votes
1 answer

What are the algebras of the double powerset monad?

Let $\mathscr{P} : \textbf{Set} \to \textbf{Set}^\textrm{op}$ be the (contravariant) powerset functor, taking a set $X$ to its powerset $\mathscr{P}(X)$ and a map $f : X \to Y$ to the inverse image map $f^* : \mathscr{P}(Y) \to \mathscr{P}(X)$. By…
22
votes
2 answers

Why are Boolean Algebras called "Algebras"?

Boolean algebras aren't algebras (to the best of my understanding). So why are they called algebras? Wouldn't it make more sense to call them a "Boolean system" or a "Boology" or something else like that?
Chill2Macht
  • 22,055
  • 10
  • 67
  • 178
18
votes
4 answers

Find DNF and CNF of an expression

I want to find the DNF and CNF of the following expression $$ x \oplus y \oplus z $$ I tried by using $$x \oplus y = (\neg x\wedge y) \vee (x\wedge \neg y)$$ but it got all messy. I also plotted it in Wolfram Alpha, and of course it showed them,…
17
votes
1 answer

What are some theorems made easier by Stone Duality?

I have seen a lot of praise for the Stone Duality Theorem, which links the algebraic structure of boolean algebras to the topological structure of stone spaces by a (contravariant) adjoint equivalence of categories. What are some theorems which are…
16
votes
2 answers

Examples of topologies in which all open sets are regular?

An open subset U of a space X is regular if it equals the interior of its closure, as we learn from the Wikipedia glossary of topology. Furthermore, the regular open subsets of a space (any space) form a complete Boolean algebra. I'm coming to this…
MikeC
  • 1,521
13
votes
10 answers

$f(x) = 0$ when $x$ is $0$, and $1$ otherwise

I've been trying to create a function that will return $0$ when $x$ is $0$, and for any other $x$ value it should return $1$. I've searched for a pre-existing function online too and wasn't able to find one. Do you know of any function that can do…
12
votes
1 answer

Stone's Representation Theorem and The Compactness Theorem

If you're working on $\mathsf {ZF}$ and you assume the compactness theorem for propositional logic, then you have the prime ideal theorem, and thus you can show that the dual of the category of Boolean algebras is equivalent to the category of…
12
votes
1 answer

What is the difference between Boolean logic and propositional logic?

As far as I can see, they only employ different symbols but they operate in the same way. Am I missing something? I wanted to write "Boolean logic" in the tag box but a message came up saying that if I wanted to write Boolean logic I should better…
1
2 3
99 100