A measure of logical inference and its game theoretical applications

Abstract

This paper presents a measure of inference in classical and intuitionistic logics in the Gentzen-style sequent calculus. The definition of the measure takes two steps: First, we measure the width of a given proof. Then the measure of inference assigns, to a given sequent, the minimum value of the widths of its possible proofs. It counts the indispensable cases for possible proofs of a sequent. This measure expresses the degree of difficulty in proving a given sequent. Although our problem is highly proof-theoretic, we are motivated by some general and specific problems in game theory/economics. In this paper, we will define a certain lower bound function, with which we may often obtain the exact value of the measure for a given sequent. We apply our theory a few game theoretical problems and calculate the exact values of the measure. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.