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The $n$-dimensional form of the Weierstrass approximation theorem is the statement that polynomial functions are dense under the $\ell_\infty$-norm in the space of continuous functions on $[0,1]^n$ for any $n<\omega$.

A trivial restatement of this fact is this: If we let $M= ([0,1],\dots)$ be the induced structure on the definable set $[0,1]$ as a subset of $\mathbb{R}$ as an ordered field, then for any continuous function $f:[0,1]^n\to [0,1]$ and any $\varepsilon > 0$, there is a definable function $g:M^n \to M$ such that $\left\lVert f-g\right\rVert < \varepsilon$. (Incidentally we don't actually need multiplication for this. The ordered group structure is enough.)

Since RCF is NIP, the induced structure on $[0,1]$ is NIP as well (and in fact o-minimal). I'm curious if this approximating property can be accomplished in a stable theory. I can think of more variations of this question than I should I put in an MO question, but I think the following two are reasonable to consider first.

Question 1: Does there exist a structure $M$ whose underlying set is $[0,1]$, whose theory is stable, and which has the property that for any continuous function $f:[0,1]^n \to [0,1]$ and any $\varepsilon > 0$, there is a definable function $g : M^n \to M$ such that $\left\lVert f -g \right\rVert_\infty < \varepsilon$?

Question 2: Assuming the first question has a positive answer, is there such a structure in which the witnessing $g$'s are continuous?

Note that the question doesn't depend on whether we interpret 'definable' as $\varnothing$-definable or definable with parameters.

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    $\begingroup$ You are talking about the Weierstrass approximation theorem, not Stone-Weierstrass. $\endgroup$
    – Nik Weaver
    Commented Nov 2, 2020 at 4:29
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    $\begingroup$ @NikWeaver Was the Weierstrass approximation theorem for functions on $[0,1]^n$ or just for intervals? $\endgroup$ Commented Nov 2, 2020 at 18:09
  • $\begingroup$ I guess you're right, "Weierstrass approximation" refers to the one dimensional case. But the generalization to $n$ dimensions is quite easy and the Stone-Weierstrass theorem goes well beyond this. $\endgroup$
    – Nik Weaver
    Commented Nov 2, 2020 at 19:27
  • $\begingroup$ @NikWeaver I've changed the question. Thank you for pointing this out. $\endgroup$ Commented Nov 2, 2020 at 20:58
  • $\begingroup$ On reflection, it was a pedantic point and probably not worth mentioning. Anyway it looks like you got a good answer from Emil. $\endgroup$
    – Nik Weaver
    Commented Nov 2, 2020 at 21:50

1 Answer 1

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The answer is positive if you don’t require $g$ to be continuous. Indeed, continuous functions $[0,1]^n\to[0,1]$ can be approximated by piecewise constant functions whose pieces are boxes with rational endpoints. Any such function is definable in the structure $$M=([0,1],\{I_q:0<q<1,q\in\mathbb Q\}),$$ where $I_q$ is the unary predicate defining the interval $[0,q]$. This structure is easily seen to be superstable.


Concerning Q2, there are several suggestions in the comments to use continuous piecewise affine unary functions, so I can as well explain in detail why it doesn’t work.

First, a general observation. If $X$ is any set, and $G$ a group of permutations of $X$, let $M_G$ be the structure with domain $X$ endowed with unary functions corresponding to all elements of $G$. Then it is easy to show that $M_G$ has quantifier elimination. On the one hand, this implies that $M_G$ is superstable; on the other hand, it easily implies that for any function $f\colon X^n\to X$ definable in $M_G$, there is a finite partition $X^n=\bigcup_{i<k}Y_i$ where each $Y_i$ is definable, and $f\restriction Y_i$ is either constant, or $(f\restriction Y_i)(x_1,\dots,x_n)=g(x_j)$ for some $g\in G$ and $j<n$.

Now, let us take $X=[0,1]$, and $G$ the group of (not necessarily continuous) piecewise affine bijections $[0,1]\to[0,1]$ (with the pieces being intervals). Then all piecewise affine functions (bijective or otherwise) $[0,1]\to[0,1]$ are definable in $M_G$, and by the above, $M_G$ is superstable.

However, $M_G$ cannot continuously approximate all continuous functions $[0,1]^n\to[0,1]$. In fact, I claim that every continuous function $f\colon[0,1]^2\to[0,1]$ definable in $M_G$ depends on at most one variable. We can find a decomposition $[0,1]^2=\bigcup_{i<k}Y_i$ as above. By quantifier elimination, each $Y_i$ is a Boolean combination of rectangles $I\times J$, where $I,J\subseteq[0,1]$ are intervals, and of line segments. Since the complement of a union of finitely many lines is dense in any rectangle, and $f$ is continuous, we may assume all $Y_i$ to be rectangles. That is, there are $0=x_0<x_1<\dots<x_r=1$ and $0=y_0<y_1<\dots<y_s=1$ such that the restriction of $f$ to each $[x_i,x_{i+1}]\times[y_j,y_{j+1}]$ is an affine function of one variable.

Assume for instance that $(f\restriction[x_i,x_{i+1}]\times[y_j,y_{j+1}])(x,y)=L(x)$, where $L$ is a nonconstant affine function. Then $f$ restricted to the neighbouring rectangle $[x_i,x_{i+1}]\times[y_{j+1},y_{j+2}]$ depends on $x$, hence it also has to be an affine function of $x$, and in fact, since an affine function is determined by its value at two points, it has to coincide with $L(x)$. By continuing in this fashion, we see that $f$ coincides with $L(x)$ on the whole strip $[x_i,x_{i+1}]\times[0,1]$. If we assume for contradiction that $f$ restricted to another rectangle $[x_{i'},x_{i'+1}]\times[y_{j'},y_{j'+1}]$ is a nonconstant function of $y$, then the same argument shows that $f$ is an affine function of $y$ on $[0,1]\times[y_{j'},y_{j'+1}]$. But then $f\restriction[x_i,x_{i+1}]\times[y_{j'},y_{j'+1}]$ is simultaneously a function of $x$, and a function of $y$, a contradiction. Thus, $f$ depends only on $x$ on all the rectangles, and we obtain $f(x,y)=g(x)$ for some continuous piecewise affine function $g$.

Thus, for example, $M_G$ cannot continously $\epsilon$-approximate the function $f(x,y)=\min\{x,y\}$ for $\epsilon<1/2$.

Can we do better? In view of the discussion above, we can push this idea to its limits by simply taking for $G$ the group of all bijections $[0,1]\to[0,1]$. The resulting structure is still superstable. The argument above that continuous definable functions depend only on one variable no longer applies, as it relied on topological properties of definable sets that no longer hold (all subsets of $[0,1]$ are definable in the structure). However, I still do not see how one could continuously approximate, say, $\min\colon[0,1]^2\to[0,1]$ to arbitrary precision in this structure.

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  • $\begingroup$ Why can't one require $g$ to be continuous? Shouldn't piecewise affine functions work just as well as piecewise constant functions? $\endgroup$ Commented Nov 2, 2020 at 11:32
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    $\begingroup$ If you expand the structure with as simple an affine function as $+$ (restricted to $[0,1]$), it is no longer stable, as it can define the usual order on $[0,1]$. $\endgroup$ Commented Nov 2, 2020 at 11:36
  • $\begingroup$ @EmilJeřábek: That is true, but $+$ is binary. Unary functions are easier to control. $\endgroup$
    – tomasz
    Commented Nov 2, 2020 at 16:06
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    $\begingroup$ @tomasz They might be easier to control, but I don’t see how to do continuous approximation of continuous binary functions using just unary affine functions. $\endgroup$ Commented Nov 2, 2020 at 16:23
  • $\begingroup$ @EmilJeřábek: Me neither, but it does not seem implausible. $\endgroup$
    – tomasz
    Commented Nov 4, 2020 at 13:24

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