Type | Quantifier |
---|---|
Field | Mathematical logic |
Statement | is true when is true for at least one value of . |
Symbolic statement |
In predicate logic, an existential quantification is a type of quantifier, a logical constant which is interpreted as "there exists", "there is at least one", or "for some". It is usually denoted by the logical operator symbol ∃, which, when used together with a predicate variable, is called an existential quantifier ("∃x" or "∃(x)" or "(∃x)"[1]). Existential quantification is distinct from universal quantification ("for all"), which asserts that the property or relation holds for all members of the domain.[2][3] Some sources use the term existentialization to refer to existential quantification.[4]
Quantification in general is covered in the article on quantification (logic). The existential quantifier is encoded as U+2203 ∃ THERE EXISTS in Unicode, and as \exists
in LaTeX and related formula editors.