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The one-point compactification $\mathbb{N}_\infty$ of $\mathbb{N}$ is obtained from the discrete space $\mathbb{N}$ by adjoining a limit point $\infty$. It may be identified with the subspace of Cantor space $$ \mathbb{N}_\infty = \{ \alpha \in \{0,1\}^\mathbb{N} \mid \forall n \,.\, \alpha_n \geq \alpha_{n+1} \}. $$ Indeed, we may embed $\mathbb{N} \to \mathbb{N}_\infty$ by mapping $n$ to the sequence $$\overline{n} = \underbrace{1 \cdots 1}_n 0 0 \cdots,$$ and taking $\infty = 1 1 1 \cdots$.

Classically of course adjoining a single point to a countable set has no effect on countability. How about the computable version? If we adjoin the new point as an isolated one then of course we again obtain a countable set. This question is about adjoining $\infty$ as a limit point in the sense of metric spaces.

Let $\varphi$ be a standard enumeration of partial computable maps.

Question: Do there exist a total computable map $q$ and a partial computable map $s$ such that:

  1. $\varphi_{q(n)} \in \mathbb{N}_\infty$ for all $n \in \mathbb{N}$
  2. For all $k \in \mathbb{N}$, if $\varphi_k \in \mathbb{N}_\infty$ then $s(k)$ is defined and $\varphi_{q(s(k))} = \varphi_k$.

The map $q$ realizes an enumeration $\mathbb{N} \to \mathbb{N}_\infty$, and $s$ the fact that $q$ is surjective.

Clarification: The following map $q : \mathbb{N} \to \mathbb{N}_\infty$ comes to mind: $$q(n)(k) = \begin{cases} 1 & \text{if $T_n$ has not terminated within $k$ steps of execution}\\ 0 & \text{if $T_n$ has terminated within $k$ steps of execution} \end{cases} $$ However, it seems hard to get the corresponding map $s$ witnessing surjectivity of $q$.

(I should say that $q$ works as a computable enumeration for yet a third way of adjoining a point to $\mathbb{N}$, namely $$\mathbb{N}_\bot = \{ S \subseteq \mathbb{N} \mid \forall i, j \in S \,.\, i = j \}.$$ We embed $n \in \mathbb{N}$ into $\mathbb{N}_\bot$ as a singleton $\{n\}$, while the extra point is $\emptyset$. Think of $\mathbb{N}_\bot$ as the set of enumerable subsets of $\mathbb{N}$ with at most one element.

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    $\begingroup$ You probably already know about it, but just in case, the paper by Martín Escardó, “Infinite sets that satisfy the principle of omniscience in any variety of constructive mathematics” seems to be worth at least mentioning here for much information about $\mathbb{N}_\infty$. $\endgroup$
    – Gro-Tsen
    Commented Aug 27, 2021 at 13:35
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    $\begingroup$ The question arose after a discussion with Martín, actually. $\endgroup$ Commented Aug 27, 2021 at 16:12

1 Answer 1

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The answer is no. Suppose that there are computable functions $q$ and $s$ as you describe.

Let $k$ be a program that performs the following task. It starts enumerating $1$s at the start of the sequence until it discovers that $s(k)$ is defined. (We use the Kleene recursion theorem to know that there is such a self-referential program $k$.) Note that this must eventually happen, since otherwise $\varphi_k$ would be $\infty$, in which case $s(k)$ should be defined.

When it finds that $s(k)$ is defined, then the program pauses the enumeration of its output and starts computing $\varphi_{q(s(k))}$. This will definitely produce an element of $\mathbb{N}_\infty$. And so the program waits until either it produces more $1$s than we have put on $\varphi_k$, in which case program $k$ switches to $0$s immediately, causing $\varphi_{q(s(k))}\neq\varphi_k$; or else $\varphi_{q(s(k))}$ produces a $0$, in which case we can let $\varphi_k$ produce all $1$s, again causing $\varphi_{q(s(k))}\neq\varphi_k$.

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    $\begingroup$ Ah, a classic application of Recursion theorem. And even better, I know how to translate your argument to the internal language of the effective topos. $\endgroup$ Commented Aug 27, 2021 at 12:34

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