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15 votes
5 answers
2k views

In what sense does the sentence $\operatorname{con}(\mathsf{PA})$ "say" that $\mathsf{PA}$ is consistent?

It seems common amongst logicians to think of "truth" as being relative to a particular structure. Consider, for instance, the first-order theory of groups. The sentence $\forall x\forall y(...
Joe Lamond's user avatar
0 votes
3 answers
1k views

Regarding Gentzen's note regarding 'Godel-points' (i.e., "Where is the Godel-point hiding?")

Consider the following note written by Gerhard Gentzen in early 1932, on the onset of his work on a consistency proof for arithmetic: The axioms of arithmetic are obviously correct, and the ...
Thomas Benjamin's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
485 views

Extensions of the Ackermann interpretation to nonstandard theories of arithmetic

In their paper, " On Interpretations of Arithmetic and Set Theory" (Notre Dame Journal of Formal Logic, Vol. 8, No. 4 (2007), pp. 497-510) in section 7, "Fragments of Arithmetic and Set ...
Thomas Benjamin's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
209 views

Is $PRA$ + $TI({\epsilon_0})$ mutually interpretable with some theory in the language of set theory?

As is well known, the following theory is equiconsistent with $PA$: $ZFC$ with the axiom of infinity replaced by its negation. Since this theory is equiconsistent with $PA$, it would seem ...
Thomas Benjamin's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
459 views

Is the statement "All numbers are counting numbers" independent of $PA$?

In his paper, "Completed versus Incomplete Infinity in Arithmetic" (which can be found here), the late Edward Nelson defines the notion of 'counting number' as follows: 0 is a counting ...
Thomas Benjamin's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
629 views

In what sense is the "descending chain principle" for ordinals less than $\epsilon_0$ 'infinitary?

In the introduction to his paper "Assignment of Ordinals to Terms for Primitive Recursive Functionals of Finite Type", W.A. Howard writes: Gentzen...showed that the consistency of first order (...
Thomas Benjamin's user avatar
19 votes
3 answers
2k views

Is platonism regarding arithmetic consistent with the multiverse view in set theory?

A "truth" platonist for arithmetic believes, given a statement in the language of arithmetic, that the problem whether the statement is true has a definite answer. Prof. Hamkins has argued for a ...
AEWARG's user avatar
  • 261
7 votes
1 answer
489 views

Is $ACA_0$ + 'True Arithmetic exists' interpretable in $ACA$?

Maybe someone here can help me with a question concerning second-order arithmetic. Consider the system $ACA_T := ACA_0 + \exists X \forall x (x \in X \leftrightarrow T(x))$, where $T(x)$ is a $\Pi_1^1$...
Günther's user avatar
13 votes
2 answers
1k views

nonstandard models and mathematical theorems

Is there a first order statement about the natural numbers (not nonstandard analysis) such that the truth of the statement is easier to see in a nonstandard model? In other words, do nonstandard ...
Thinniyam Srinivasan Ramanatha's user avatar
32 votes
11 answers
11k views

Is PA consistent? do we know it?

1) (By Goedel's) One can not prove, in PA, a formula that can be interpreted to express the consistency of PA. (Hopefully I said it right. Specialists correct me, please). 2) There are proofs (...
68 votes
4 answers
12k views

Nelson's program to show inconsistency of ZF

At the end of the paper Division by three by Peter G. Doyle and John H. Conway, the authors say: Not that we believe there really are any such things as infinite sets, or that the Zermelo-Fraenkel ...
Andreas Thom's user avatar
  • 25.5k