Questions tagged [model-theory]
Model theory is the branch of mathematical logic which deals with the connection between a formal language and its interpretations, or models.
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Expressiveness in arithmetic
Let $\mathcal{S}$ be a formal system for arithmetic (e.g. $P$ or $PA$), $f:N^q\rightarrow N^p$ a function of $N^q$ on $N^ p$ and $\alpha(\mathbf{x})$ a formula of $\mathcal{S}$ with $p$ free variables....
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Is $(\mathbb R_{\mathrm{an}}, (x\mapsto x^r)_{r\in\mathbb R})$ still the largest known polynomially bounded o-minimal structure so far?
From Chris Miller's paper in 1995, the structure $(\mathbb R_{\mathrm{an}}, (x\mapsto x^r)_{r\in\mathbb R})$,is the largest known polynomially bounded o-minimal structure as of that time. I wonder if ...
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What is this quotient of the free product?
Previously asked at MSE. The construction here can generalize to arbitrary algebras (in the sense of universal algebra) in the same signature with the only needed tweak being the replacement of "...
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Are the real numbers isomorphic to a nontrivial ultraproduct of fields?
Let $K_1, K_2, \dots$ be a countable sequence of fields, and let $\prod_{\mathcal F} K_i$ be the ultraproduct with respect to some nonprincipal ultrafilter $\mathcal F$.
Question: Can there be a field ...
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Finitely presentable groups are residually finite if and only if they are universally pseudofinite
Suppose $G$ is finitely presentable. Then residual finiteness of $G$ is equivalent to $G$ satisfying the universal theory of finite groups (equivalently, to every existential statement true in $G$ ...
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Do maximal compact logics exist?
By "logic" I mean regular logic in the sense of abstract model theory (see e.g. the last section of Ebbinghaus/Flum/Thomas' book). My question is simple:
Is there a logic $\mathcal{L}$ ...
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Gödel coding and the function $z(x)$
The function $z(x)$ that associates to each formula $\alpha$ of $P$ its Gödel number $z(\alpha)$ is external to the system. How then can expressions in which $z(x)$ be involved be expressed in $P$? ...
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Interpretation of model theory in algebraic geometry
I found a paper Some applications of a model theoretic fact to (semi-) algebraic geometry by Lou van den Dries. In this paper, the author uses model theoretical methods to prove the completeness of ...
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Truth in a different universe of sets?
I understand that provability and truth as different concepts.
Provability is syntactic, it only concerns whether the given
sentence can be derived by reiterating the inference rules over a
collection ...
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Provability predicates
We know that there are provability predicates, that is, predicates derived from the recursive relation "x is a demonstration of y", with which Godel's second incompleteness theorem would not ...
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Which countable sets don't drastically change the definable topologies on $\mathbb{R}$?
For $\mathcal{M}$ an expansion of $\mathcal{R}=(\mathbb{R};+,\times)$ and $A\subseteq\mathbb{R}$, let $\tau^\mathcal{M}_A$ be the topology on $\mathbb{R}$ generated by the sets definable in $\mathcal{...
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On the classification of second-countable Stone spaces
Let $X$ be a Stone space (i.e. totally disconnected compact Hausdorff). Then the following are equivalent:
$X$ is second countable
$X$ is metrizable
$X$ has countably many clopen subsets
$X$ is an ...
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Truth Values of Statements in non-standard models
Excuse me, if the question sounds too naive.
Non-standard models of PA will have statements of non-standard lengths, basically infinite. And it is also true that every statement of a theory will have ...
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Lindström's theorem part 2 for non-relativizing logics
By "logic" I mean the definition gotten by removing the relativization property from "regular logic" — see e.g. Ebbinghaus/Flum/Thomas — and adding the condition that for every ...
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Worst of both worlds?
It's well known that $\mathsf{AC}$ implies the existence of non-measurable sets. And it's also true that, if all sets are measurable, then $|\mathbb{R}/\mathbb{Q}| > |\mathbb{R}|$. But is there a ...
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Can a definable group of definable automorphisms of a field contain the Frobenius automorphism?
Let $K$ be an infinite definable field of characteristic $p >0$ in a certain theory $T$ with a definable group of definable automorphisms. Can this group contain the Frobenius automorphism?
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Gödel's second incompleteness theorem [closed]
Apparently, see Feferman or Wikipedia, in a consistent system there are formulations of consistency that are demonstrable in the system itself while others are not. What distinguishes one from another?...
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Original motivations of Fraïssé's amalgamation construction
Roland Fraïssé introduced in the 50's his famous construction of Fraïssé limits, and then Ehud Hrushowski modified it in the early 90's to construct new structures.
The motivations for the latter was ...
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Are flat functors out of a finite category necessarily finite?
Note: I've originally asked this question on math stack exchange, but I have learnt that this is the better place to ask for research level questions, so I have deleted the original question there.
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Is the filter generated by $A$-generic sets S1-prime?
Let $\mathfrak U$ be a monster model.
Let $A\subseteq\mathfrak U$ be a small set of parameters.
A set $\mathfrak D\subseteq\mathfrak U^{|x|}$ is $A$-generic if finitely many translations of $\mathfrak ...
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Logical content of Gauss's Lemma (arithmetic)
In the context where $a$, $b$, $c$ are integers we have $(a \mid bc, a\land b = 1) \Rightarrow a\mid c$. This result is called Gauss's Lemma in French Highschool.
It is well known that (Steve Awodey, ...
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Classical first-order model theory via hyperdoctrines
I have been reading this discussion by John Baez and Michael Weiss and I find this approach to model theory using boolean hyper-doctrines very interesting. One of their goal was to arrive at a proof ...
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Can this theory of dyadic rationals prove that multiplying by three is the same as summing thrice?
(This question arose from a discussion with Jade Vanadium about a theory of dyadic rationals.)
Let $T$ be the 2-sorted FOL theory with sorts $ℕ,ℚ$ and constant-symbols $0,1$ and binary function-...
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Seeking clarification of ultrapower nonstandard model of arithmetic
I've read that one nonstandard model of arithmetic is:
take $\mathbb{N}^\mathbb{N}$, the set of countably infinite sequences of natural numbers
take a quotent that gives the ultrapower: identify ...
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If a theory has many mutually non-embeddable countable models can it have a countable $\omega$-saturated model?
A theory can have $2^\omega$-many non-isomorphic countable models but has a countable $\omega$-saturated model. (https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/305602/if-a-theory-has-a-countable-omega-...
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Is there a "halting machine" which halts on itself?
The crux of the halting problem is that there can be no Turing machine $M$ such that $\text{Halt}(M(N))=\neg \text{Halt}(N(N))$ for all Turing machines $N$, since $\text{Halt}(M(M))=\neg \text{Halt}(M(...
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Do Fagin's zero-one laws hold on stochastic block model?
Let $n$ be a positive integer (the number of vertices), $k$ be a positive integer (the number of communities), $p = (p_1, . . . , p_k)$ be a probability vector on $[k] := \{1, . . . , k\}$ (the prior ...
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Can the set of parafinite congruences be descriptive-set-theoretically complicated?
Fix an algebra $\mathfrak{A}$ with underlying set $\mathbb{N}$ and finite language $\Sigma$. The set of congruences on $\mathfrak{A}$ is a closed subset $C_\mathfrak{A}$ of $2^\mathbb{N}$ (with the ...
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Congruences that aren't "finite from above," take 2: semigroups
This is a hopefully less trivial version of this question. Briefly, say that a congruence is parafinite if it is the largest congruence contained in some equivalence relation with finitely many ...
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Congruences that aren't "finite from above"
Let $\mathfrak{A}=(A;...)$ be an algebra in the sense of universal algebra. Say that a congruence $\sim$ on $\mathfrak{A}$ is parafinite iff there is an equivalence relation $E\subseteq A^2$ with ...
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Is the Rado graph the unique countable graph that has all finite graphs as induced subgraphs?
I understand that since the Rado graph is the Fraïsse limit of the class of finite graphs, it is the unique homogeneous graph with this property. Is there another graph not isomorphic to the Rado ...
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Elementary equivalence for rings
Let $\mathcal{L}$ be a first-order language, and $M$ and $N$ be two $\mathcal{L}$-structures. We say that $M$ and $N$ are elementarily equivalent (write $M \approx N$) if they satisfy the same first-...
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Posets of equational theories of "bad quotients"
This is a follow-up to an older question of mine:
Suppose $\mathfrak{A}=(A;...)$ is an algebra (in the sense of universal algebra) and $E$ is an equivalence relation - not necessarily a congruence - ...
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Concept of bedrock and mantle in the multiverse view in the philosophy of mathematics
To be clear, I am not a mathematics educated student and I can not follow the details of the technicality of the forcing extension, but I feel that I have a good understanding of the big picture (of ...
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Is Morse-Kelley set theory with Class Choice bi-interpretable with itself after removing Extensionality for classes?
Let $\sf MKCC$ stand for Morse-Kelley set theory with Class Choice. And let this theory be precisely $\sf MK$ with a binary primitive symbol $\prec$ added to its language, and the following axioms ...
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"On models of elementary elliptic geometry"
While perusing p. 237 of the 3rd ed. of Marvin Greenberg's book on Euclidean and non-Euclidean geometries, I learned that it can actually be proven that "all possible models of hyperbolic ...
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Sizes of linearly ordered subalgebras of powers
On the grounds that I'm currently teaching a linear algebra class and I enjoy making my students furious, let a linear algebra be an algebra $\mathcal{A}$ in the sense of universal algebra equipped ...
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A Löwenheim–Skolem–Tarski-like property
I am interested in the following Löwenheim–Skolem–Tarski-like property.
Given a cardinal $\kappa$, what (if any) is a property $\phi(x)$ such that if $\phi(\kappa)$ holds, then we can prove the ...
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Two notions of generalized quotient/substructure
Given a language $\Sigma$ and a $\Sigma$-algebra (in the sense of universal algebra) $\mathcal{A}=(A;\dotsc)$ and a function $f:A\rightarrow A$, let $\mathcal{A}_f$ be the $\Sigma$-algebra whose ...
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Extensions of $PA+\neg Con(PA)$ with large consistency strength
There is a large hierarchy of theories strengthening $PA$ eg $PA+Con(PA)$, $PA+Con(PA+Con(PA))$,..., second-order arithmetic and $ZFC$, ordered by consistency strength.
Is there an extension of $PA+\...
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Standard models of N and R: An Alice/Bob approach
This is a question about a comment in a recent publication by Roman
Kossak. Kossak wrote:
"Nonstandardness in set theory has a different nature. In
arithmetic, there is one intended object of ...
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Reference for Understanding Shelah's Proof of Vaught's Conjecture for $\omega$-stable Theories
I'm looking for a source to help me better understand Shelah's proof of Vaught's Conjecture for $\omega$-stable Theories (https://shelah.logic.at/files/95409/158.pdf). An obvious candidate is Makkai's ...
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Comparing computable structures via Kleene and Skolem
Below, by "structure" I mean "computable structure in a finite language with domain $\omega$," and by "sentence" I mean "finitary first-order sentence containing no ...
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A system with distinct infinite cardinalities but no "best" version of $\mathbb{N}$
Let $\mathfrak{S}=(M_z,U_z)_{z\in\mathbb{Z}}$ be a sequence such that for each $z\in\mathbb{Z}$ we have
$M_z\models\mathsf{ZFC}+$ "$U_z$ is a nonprincipal ultrafilter on $\omega$" (so in ...
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Interest in the size of ultrapowers in model theory
It seems that in the 60s (at least), there was interest in computing the size of ultrapowers by countably incomplete ultrafilters. For example, given an ultrafilter $U$ on some relatively small set ...
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General algebraic result obtained from consideration on $\mathbb{Q}_p$
There are results in field theory which are obtained from, let's say, the complex numbers and then generalized to all algebraically closed fields.
For instance, the fact that a polynomial $P$ admits a ...
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How is it possible for PA+¬Con(PA) to be consistent?
I'm having some trouble understanding how a certain first-order theory isn't just straight-up inconsistent.
Let $PA$ be the axioms of (first-order) Peano arithmetic and let $C$ be the following ...
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Interpreting group-theoretic sentences as statements about algebraic groups
Suppose we are given a sentence in the language of groups, e.g. $\phi=\forall x\forall y(x\cdot y=y\cdot x)$, and suppose that we are also given the data defining an algebraic group $G/k$. One can ...
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Can a model of "true computation" exist? What would be its consequences?
Analogous to the model of True Arithmetic, the model of "True Computation" is defined to be the set of all true first-order statements about Turing machines i.e. answers to elementary ...
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Symmetric monoidal functors from powers of the natural numbers to Set
Consider the full subcategory of $\mathbf{Set}$ consisting of the singleton $1$ and countable infinite sets. (Originally this came from the powers $\mathbb{N}^{\times k}$ and the morphisms between ...