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Definition df-nf 1701
Description: Define the not-free predicate for wffs. This is read "𝑥 is not free in 𝜑". Not-free means that the value of 𝑥 cannot affect the value of 𝜑, e.g., any occurrence of 𝑥 in 𝜑 is effectively bound by a "for all" or something that expands to one (such as "there exists"). In particular, substitution for a variable not free in a wff does not affect its value (sbf 2368). An example of where this is used is stdpc5 2063. See nf5 2102 for an alternate definition which involves nested quantifiers on the same variable.

Not-free is a commonly used constraint, so it is useful to have a notation for it. Surprisingly, there is no common formal notation for it, so here we devise one. Our definition lets us work with the not-free notion within the logic itself rather than as a metalogical side condition.

To be precise, our definition really means "effectively not free," because it is slightly less restrictive than the usual textbook definition for not-free (which only considers syntactic freedom). For example, 𝑥 is effectively not free in the bare expression 𝑥 = 𝑥 (see nfequid 1927), even though 𝑥 would be considered free in the usual textbook definition, because the value of 𝑥 in the expression 𝑥 = 𝑥 cannot affect the truth of the expression (and thus substitution will not change the result).

This definition of not-free tightly ties to the quantifier 𝑥. At this state (no axioms restricting quantifiers yet) 'non-free' appears quite arbitrary. Its intended semantics expresses single-valuedness (constness) across a parameter, but is only evolved as much as later axioms assign properties to quantifiers. It seems the definition here is best suited in situations, where axioms are only partially in effect. In particular, this definition more easily carries over to other logic models with weaker axiomization.

This predicate only applies to wffs. See df-nfc 2740 for a not-free predicate for class variables. (Contributed by Mario Carneiro, 24-Sep-2016.) Converted to definition. (Revised by BJ, 6-May-2019.)

Assertion
Ref Expression
df-nf (Ⅎ𝑥𝜑 ↔ (∃𝑥𝜑 → ∀𝑥𝜑))

Detailed syntax breakdown of Definition df-nf
StepHypRef Expression
1 wph . . 3 wff 𝜑
2 vx . . 3 setvar 𝑥
31, 2wnf 1699 . 2 wff 𝑥𝜑
41, 2wex 1695 . . 3 wff 𝑥𝜑
51, 2wal 1473 . . 3 wff 𝑥𝜑
64, 5wi 4 . 2 wff (∃𝑥𝜑 → ∀𝑥𝜑)
73, 6wb 195 1 wff (Ⅎ𝑥𝜑 ↔ (∃𝑥𝜑 → ∀𝑥𝜑))
Colors of variables: wff setvar class
This definition is referenced by:  nf2  1702  nfi  1705  nfri  1706  nfd  1707  nfrd  1708  nftht0  1709  nfbii  1770  nfnf1  2018  nf5r  2052  19.9d  2058  nfbidf  2079  nf5  2102  nf6  2103  nfnf  2144  nfeqf2  2285  sbnf2  2427  dfnf5  3906  eusv2i  4789  bj-nfdiOLD  32019  bj-nfbiit  32024  bj-nfimt  32025
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