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Checking natural language proofs

  • Conference paper
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9th International Conference on Automated Deduction (CADE 1988)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 310))

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Abstract

Proofs in natural language contain much information useful for automatic proof checking that is usually lost in translation to a formal language. This paper describes a system which checks English language proofs in elementary number theory that uses such information to guide the theorem prover. The proof connector follows the argument presented in the proof and asks a theorem prover to make the same deductions that the human reader of the proof is assumed to make. This system has the added advantage of spotting fallacious proofs of correct theorems. A more powerful theorem prover might prove the theorem by ignoring a faulty proof.

This work supported by National Science Foundation Grant CCR-8613 706.

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References

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Science, University of Texas at Austin, 78712, Austin, Texas

    Donald Simon

Authors
  1. Donald Simon
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Ewing Lusk Ross Overbeek

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© 1988 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Simon, D. (1988). Checking natural language proofs. In: Lusk, E., Overbeek, R. (eds) 9th International Conference on Automated Deduction. CADE 1988. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 310. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0012829

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0012829

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-19343-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-39216-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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