First Order Logic
First Order Logic (FOL) is a formal system in mathematical logic that extends propositional logic by including quantifiers (such as 'for all' and 'there exists') and predicates to express statements about objects and their relationships. It provides a rigorous framework for representing knowledge, reasoning, and defining the semantics of programming languages and databases. FOL is foundational in fields like artificial intelligence, formal verification, and theoretical computer science.
Developers should learn First Order Logic when working on AI systems, theorem provers, or formal methods, as it underpins knowledge representation, automated reasoning, and specification languages. It is essential for tasks like logic programming (e.g., in Prolog), database query languages (e.g., SQL's relational algebra), and verifying software correctness through model checking or proof assistants.