1
$\begingroup$

Suppose we have a classical arithmetical theory $\mathbf{R}$, at least as strong as Robinson arithmetic, with $\tau$ an extra dummy monadic predicate in its language $\mathcal{L}$. Suppose $\mathbf{R}$ only has modus ponens as an inference rule.

Let the variables of $\mathcal{L}$ be indexed by the natural numbers. For a formula $\epsilon$ in $\mathcal{L}$, let $\forall\epsilon$ be $\epsilon$ if there are no free variables in $\epsilon$, else $\forall\forall x_i\epsilon$ where $x_i$ is the free variable of $\epsilon$ with smallest index.

Let the axiomatization of $\mathbf{R}$ be such that all the axioms are of the form $\forall\zeta$ for some $\zeta$ in $\mathcal{L}$, so that $\mathbf{R}$ only has sentences as axioms.

Suppose $\mathbf{R}$ has, for example, the axioms $A^1 \ \forall\alpha$, $A^2 \ \forall\beta$ and $A^3 \ \forall\gamma$, and, to repeat, just modus ponens as inference rule.

Suppose [] is a Gödel-coding provided by $\mathbf{R}$.

May I define a system such as $\mathbf{T}$, in the following, by using axioms $A^{\tau1} \ \tau[\forall\alpha]$, $A^{\tau 2} \ \tau[\forall\beta]$, $A^{\tau 3} \ \tau[\forall\gamma]$, as well as $A^{\tau 4} \ \tau[\tau[\forall\forall x_i\eta(x_i)]\leftrightarrow\forall\forall x_i\tau[\eta(\dot{x_i})]]$ and $A^{\tau 5} \ \tau[\forall\delta]\to\forall\delta,$ and the inference rule $\vdash\tau[\forall\epsilon] \ \& \ \vdash\tau[\forall\epsilon\to\forall\zeta] \ \Rightarrow \ \vdash\tau[\forall\zeta]$? If not, why not?

$\endgroup$
12
  • 4
    $\begingroup$ Maybe this is standard notation but what are these double $\forall$s, and what is $\eta(\dot{x_i}]$? $\endgroup$ Commented Jun 17, 2021 at 3:46
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ Can you be a bit more explicit about "only modus ponens as inference rule". Your logic has the universal quantifier, how are you ever going to prove anything involving $\forall$, or use it, if there are no rules for $\forall$? In a similar fashion: modus ponens lets you eliminate an implication, but how do you intend to prove an implication (you don't have any rules for that). Are we talking natural deduction or Hilbert system here? $\endgroup$ Commented Jun 17, 2021 at 6:27
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ @AndrejBauer As seen by my previous paragraph, lonely universal quantifiers secure universal generalisations of the axioms. I have in mind Hilbert style systems here. $\endgroup$ Commented Jun 17, 2021 at 15:29
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ @მამუკაჯიბლაძე Correction: $[\eta(\dot{x_i})]$ is short for $[\eta](\dot{x_i}/[x_i])$, where $\dot{~}$ is the function which takes a number to its numeral. $\endgroup$ Commented Jun 17, 2021 at 15:56
  • 4
    $\begingroup$ @მამუკაჯიბლაძე: replace all outer $\forall$ with something like $\mathrm{UniversalClosure}$. The OP is just defining what it means to have a universal closure of a formula, i.e., $\mathrm{UniversalClosure}(\epsilon) = \epsilon$ if $\epsilon$ is closed, and $\mathrm{UniversalClosure}(\epsilon) = \mathrm{UniversalClosure}(\forall x_i \, \epsilon)$ if the first free variable in $\epsilon$ is $\epsilon_i$. The OP however likes to save on parentheses and writes $\mathrm{UniversalClosure}$ as $\forall$, to make things more intuitive. $\endgroup$ Commented Jun 17, 2021 at 16:15

0

You must log in to answer this question.

Browse other questions tagged .