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What are your favorite models of the KL-axioms?

The motivation is having some basic models to understand the axiom scheme as presented e.g. in Synthetic Geometry of Manifolds by Kock.

In that text he references his other text, Synthetic Differential Geometry, as well as two other sources for models -- the examples in the above text are forgetful functors from categories of rings to the category of sets, and these are cool, but I was wondering if any other 'standard' models have cropped up in the past decade. Any pointers are appreciated.

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    $\begingroup$ My favourite models are those in algebraic geometry, because I think it is extremely cool that there is a part of differential geometry that can be abstracted away from smooth manifolds (the well-adapted models) and algebraic geometry and works equally well for both. $\endgroup$
    – Nico
    Commented Aug 1, 2023 at 9:46

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Here is what I once worked out; I think I remember seeing this published somewhere too but I forget where.

Most of the interesting Kock-Lawvere algebra can be captured in a ring:

$$R_1= \mathbb{R}[t_1,t_2,\dots]/(t_1^2,t_2^2,\dots)$$

For example, this satisfies the principle that only zero can annihilate all infinitesimals: $$(\forall c\in R)\big[(\forall d \in R)(d^2=0\to cd=0)\to c=0\big]$$

Most of the interesting Kock-Lawvere logic can be captured in a Kripke model based on this, in the sense of intuitionist logic. The Kripke model’s first stage is $R_1$ as above, the second stage is $R_2$ as the image of $R_1$ under the map $t_1\to 0$, the third stage is $R_3$ as the image of $R_2$ under the map $t_2\to 0$, etc.

For example, this satisfies various principles that infinitesimals are in a neighborhood of zero: $$(\forall d \in R)(d^2=0\to \neg\neg d=0)$$ $$\neg(\forall d \in R)(d^2=0\to d=0)$$ $$(\forall x \in R)\neg(\forall y \in R)(\neg \neg x=y \to x=y)$$ The last of these, which I call the fuzziness of identity, is interesting as a logical statement which follows from the Kock-Lawvere axioms and contradicts classical logic.

Most of the interesting Kock-Lawvere analysis can be captured in a second-order Henkin model based on this, where the functions from $R$ to $R$ are identified with the smooth functions from $\mathbb{R}$ to $\mathbb{R}$, and $f(r)$ is interpreted as the result of taking the standard part of $r$ (the image of $r$ in $\mathbb{R}$ under the map sending all $t_i$ to 0), taking the power series of $f$ around that standard part, and applying that power series to $r$. E.g., under this interpretation, $\cos(t_1+t_2)= 1-(t_1+t_2)^2/2$, and no more terms are needed since they would all vanish.

For example, this satisfies the central axiom of microlinearity: $$(\forall f\in R^R)(\exists c\in R)(\forall d \in R)(d^2=0\to f(d)=f(0)+cd)$$

The basic model can also be extended to interpret the order $x<y$ as equivalent to the standard part of $x$ being less than the standard part of $y$. For instance, this falsifies trichotomy but satisfies $(x>0)\vee (x<1)$. The axioms for the other order $x\le y$ are more awkward to fit with these models.

These models are limited, but they are simpler than the topos models, they are accurate enough that they helped me find and correct a minor error in Moerdijk and Reyes’s admirably clear presentation of the axioms, and they may help you understand the Kock-Lawvere axioms better, as they did for me.

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    $\begingroup$ These are very cool and close to exactly what I was looking for — I’m leaving the question open to see what else crops up, but if it’s still quiet after a few days this is excellent and I’ll accept. Thank you. $\endgroup$
    – Alec Rhea
    Commented Oct 9, 2022 at 23:23
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    $\begingroup$ Isn't there a typo there? Should not "f(d) = cd" be "f(d) = f(0) + cd"? $\endgroup$ Commented Oct 10, 2022 at 8:36
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    $\begingroup$ Seems that there are several inequivalent ways to approach tuples of infinitesimally close points, as witnessed by the work of Breen and Messing in Combinatorial Differential Forms (2001) and Differential Geometry of Gerbes (2005). In particular, infinitesimal neighborhood of the diagonal $X\subset X^n$, infinitesimal cubes, infinitesimal simplices and what they denote by $\Delta^{(n)}$ all seem to be different. $\endgroup$ Commented Oct 10, 2022 at 9:58
  • $\begingroup$ @GavinWraith, thanks; I fixed it. $\endgroup$
    – user44143
    Commented Oct 10, 2022 at 12:00
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    $\begingroup$ @მამუკაჯიბლაძე, the ring $R_1$ is richer than it appears, and I think it includes infinitesimals with any of the algebraic properties used in those sources. E.g. $R_1$ contains 4 infinitesimals such that their squares and the product of any 3 are non-zero, even though their cubes are zero and the product of all 4 is zero, such as $w=(t_1+t_2+t_3)(t_4+t_5)$, $x=(t_1+t_2+t_3)(t_6+t_7)$, $y=(t_1+t_2+t_3)(t_8+t_9)$, $z=(t_1+t_2+t_3)(t_{10}+t_{11})$. $\endgroup$
    – user44143
    Commented Oct 10, 2022 at 18:58

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