---
title: "A Computational Structure for the Propositional Calculus"
authors:
  - "M. J. Shensa"
doi: ""
url: "https://ijcai.org/proceedings/1989/61"
pdf: "https://ijcai.org/proceedings/1989/0061.pdf"
venue: "Proceedings of the Eleventh International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence"
year: 1989
pages: "384-387"
track: "Automated Deduction"
keywords:
---

# A Computational Structure for the Propositional Calculus

M. J. Shensa

*Proceedings of the Eleventh International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence*, pages 384-387.

## Abstract

Despite the long history and descriptive simphclty of the propositional calculus, practical aspe~ts of its. implementation on the computer remam an achve area of study. We propose a representation of the propositional calculus which is s.traightfo~ard, yet compact and sufficiently flex1ble to c1rcumvent the combinatorial difficulties posed by many problems. The methodology does not involve term-rewriting, production systems, or similar, symbol-oriented approaches, but, rather, relies on a non-canonical representation in disjunctive normal form. It has been implemented in PASCAL, and efficiently solves what are described in the literature as "difficult" problems. The approach, which is simple and highly structured, and perhaps more procedural than many others, may be recommended for its ease of interpretation and for incorporation as a tool in larger systems.