Diagrammatic reasoning

The study of diagrammatic reasoning is about the understanding of concepts and ideas, visualized with the use of diagrams and imagery instead of by linguistic or algebraic means.

For example, Anderson (1997) stated more general "diagrams are pictorial, yet abstract, representations of information, and maps, line graphs, bar charts, engineering blueprints, and architects' sketches are all examples of diagrams, whereas photographs and video are not".

[2] On the other hand, Lowe (1993) defined diagrams as specifically "abstract graphic portrayals of the subject matter they represent".

[4] According to Jan V. White (1984) "the characteristics of a good diagram are elegance, clarity, ease, pattern, simplicity, and validity".

The semantics are: Hence the alpha graphs are a minimalist notation for sentential logic, grounded in the expressive adequacy of And and Not.

The alpha graphs constitute a radical simplification of the two-element Boolean algebra and the truth functors.

Leibniz thus hoped to create a language usable within the framework of a universal logical calculation or calculus ratiocinator.

Since the characteristica universalis is diagrammatic and employs pictograms (below left), the diagrams in Leibniz's work warrant close study.

Proofs proceed by applying the rules (which remove or add syntactic elements to or from diagrams) sequentially.

Sample flowchart representing the decision process to add a new article to Wikipedia.
Elsie the cat is sitting on a mat
Alpha Graphs
Leibniz's diagrammatic reasoning.
Basic elements of Leibniz's pictograms.