We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Linguistics

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What Is an Atomic Sentence?

By Angie Bates
Updated: May 23, 2024
Views: 29,102
References
Share

Also called truthbearers, an atomic sentence is a simple declarative sentence which can either be true or false. Used in logic, atomic sentences are the building blocks for more complex statements, called molecular sentences. In logical proofs, atomic sentences are assigned letters in order to easily calculate the truth or falsity of a more complex statement.

An atomic sentence is the most basic type of sentence in logic. Similar to a simple sentence in grammar, an atomic sentence contains a subject, a verb, and often an object. For example, "Jack cooked dinner," "He is intelligent," and, "She brought the wine," are all atomic sentences.

A main goal in philosophy and logic is to determine the truth of statements and complex ideas. Atomic sentences are important because they can either be wholly true or wholly false. Either Jack cooked dinner or he did not. By using atomic sentences to build more complex sentences — or, conversely, to break down complex sentences into their basic parts — the truth of these statements can be determined through logical proofs. Logical proofs are similar to geometric proofs in function and design.

When two or more atomic sentences are strung together to form a more complex sentence, a molecular sentence is formed. For example, combining the atomic sentences, "Jack cooked dinner," and, "She brought the wine," forms the molecular sentence, "Jack cooked dinner, and she brought the wine." Additionally, molecular sentences may be formed by the negation of an atomic sentence. For example, although, "He is not intelligent," is still a simple sentence according to grammatical rules, according to logical rules, the addition of the "not" makes the statement a molecular sentence. Molecular sentences can be wholly true, partially true, or wholly false.

In symbolic logic, atomic sentences are assigned letters, often starting with "p" and then continuing alphabetically. For example, the atomic sentence, "Jack cooks dinner," may be represented by a "p" while, "She brought the wine," is represented by the letter "q." The linking words, such as "and," "if," "but," and "not," are given symbols to represent their function in the larger sentence as well.

When the sentences are broken down in this way, each sentence can be worked through just like a mathematical proof. The symbols for the linking words are logical operators and behave similarly to mathematical operators, like plus and minus. By working through a logical proof, the truth or falsehood of a molecular sentence as a whole, not just the atomic sentences which is contains, can be ascertained.

Share
Language & Humanities is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Link to Sources
Discussion Comments
By AnswerMan — On Sep 25, 2014

I remember dealing with these kinds of short sentences in a class on logic, but I didn't know they were called atomic sentences. It does make sense to think of them as building blocks, however. A really long compound complex sentence could be read as positives and negatives: "Jim hates olives, but Jan likes Italian food, so the chef makes a salad but the waiter removes the olives." It's all about the relationship between all of those atomic sentences.

By mrwormy — On Sep 24, 2014

I sometimes work logic puzzles I find in gaming magazines, and they usually start off with atomic sentences. I might have to figure out the occupations of four people based on the conflicting or incomplete pieces of information provided in the puzzle. "Jim uses power tools" would eliminate certain occupations, while "Joe works at night" would point me towards others. If all of those short statements are true, then I have to apply logic to come up with more complicated answers.

Share
https://www.languagehumanities.org/what-is-an-atomic-sentence.htm
Copy this link
Language & Humanities, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

Language & Humanities, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.