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What is Boolean search logic?
To effectively conduct a Boolean search, it helps to first understand Boolean logic. While it may sound exotic or mythical, Boolean logic was simply named after the man who developed it, George Boole. A 19th century English mathematician and logician, Boole initially intended to provide a foundation for and extend the applicability of Aristotelian logic. Boole did this by putting formal logic into mathematical form. He believed that every piece of variable data could be fit into one of two categories: “true” or “false”, with nothing in the middle.
Here’s an everyday example: I want a cold drink. Here, “cold drink” can be the first variable in an equation: “If I can purchase a cold drink, then I will go to the tavern.” As long as the tavern sells drinks that are not hot, you have a variety of drink options to choose from. Now, because I am tired, the drink must also contain caffeine.
“Caffeine” becomes a second variable in this equation: “IF (cold drink) AND (caffeine), then I will buy a drink at the tavern.” If both of these are true, then the output is true, meaning I will go to the tavern and buy a drink. But if even one of these is false (the tavern doesn’t sell caffeinated drinks OR they don’t have cold drinks because their ice machine is broken) then the total output is false. I may be curious about the tavern, but I will go somewhere else for a cold, caffeinated beverage.
Boolean logic can become infinitely more complicated to produce a specific result. You see it daily at your favorite cafe: “I’d like an iced, dairy-free latte with a double shot of espresso.” The combination of these variables “iced” AND “dairy-free” AND “latte” AND “double shot of espresso” produces the true result. If one of these variables is false, say, the barista uses dairy milk, I don’t want the drink and won’t pay for it. All conditions must be met for a “true” result.
That’s helpful for the cafe, but how does this extend to the internet?
