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In Enderton's "A Mathematical Introduction to Logic" page 112 it gives as an axiom of First Order Logic :

$$ \forall x \; (\alpha (x) \implies \beta (x)) \implies ( \forall x \alpha (x) \implies \forall x \beta (x) ) \tag{1}$$

This is in addition to :

$$ \forall x \; \alpha(x) \implies \alpha^x _ t \tag{2}$$

with t substitutable for x in $\alpha$ and

$$ \alpha \implies \forall x \; \alpha(x) \tag{3}$$

where x is not free in $\alpha$.

My question is : Why is Axiom (1) above needed given axioms (2) and (3) ?

I ask this because it looks like Axiom (2) can be used to show, for any integer n :

$$ \forall x \; (\alpha (x) \implies \beta (x)) \implies ( \forall x \; \alpha (x) \implies \beta (t_1) \land \beta (t_2) ... \land \beta (t_n) ) \tag{1a}$$

however deductions and expressions are finite in first order logic, so $\beta (t_1) \land \beta (t_2) ... \land \beta (t_n) $ can not be replaced by $\forall x \beta (x)$ using only Axiom (2). Axiom (3) can't be used either. So Enderton's Axiom (1) above is used to "plug this infinity gap" ?

1 Answers1

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Long comment

There are many choices regarding the set of axioms and rules for first order logic.

The choice in Enderton's textbook is aimed at using Modus Ponens as only rule of inference.

Thus, the above axioms for the quantifier are needed in order to prove the Generalization Theorem (see page 117).