Converse_(logic) Converse_(logic)

Converse (logic) - Definition and Overview

Related Words: Answer, Anti, Antipodal, Antipode, Antipodes, Antithesis, Antonym, Balancing, Chat, Chin

In logic, if "S" is a statement of the form P implies Q, then the converse of "S" is a statement of the form Q implies P. In general, the verity of "S" says nothing about the verity of its converse.

For example, consider the true statement "If I am a human, then I am mortal." The converse is that statement is "If I am mortal, then I am a human," which is not necessarily true. Mathematicians and logicians also sometimes speak of the converses of statements of different forms; for example, the converse of the statement "All humans are mortal" is "All mortals are human."

A truth table makes it clear that "S" and the converse of "S" are not logically equivalent:

Truth Table for an Implication and its Converse
p q p→q q→p
T T T T
T F F T
F T T F
F F T T


If the statement "S" and it's converse are equivalent then affirming the consequent is valid. This means P is true if and only if Q is also true.

See also: Inverse, Contrapositive, Affirming the consequent.

Example Usage of Converse

huggofreitas: @vana18 se ele gosta de vc , vc nao vai perder ele, Converse com ele... com o tempo tudo se ajeita!
martchela: Converse, @eliseuconz
igorhfs: @Alefrenetico uhashsauhasuhas meldeus q arrastao uhsauashuh, mas se curtiu ta valendo (y), po eu ia, mas ae fui na Converse >.<
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