Questions tagged [metamathematics]

the mathematical discipline that applies mathematical methods to the study of mathematical theories themselves.

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Minimal metatheory for Gödel's first incompleteness theorem [duplicate]

When studying the complete proof of Gödel's first incompleteness theorem, I started to harbor a metamathematical worry of circularity. For reference, I am studying the proof in A Concise Introduction ...
27 votes
13 answers
3k views

Are there any good nonconstructive "existential metatheorems"?

Are there any good examples of theorems in reasonably expressive theories (like Peano arithmetic) for which it is substantially easier to prove (in a metatheory) that a proof exists than it is ...
4 votes
0 answers
140 views

Are the relations of being homeomorphic or being homotopy equivalent on the compact polyhedra definable in the structure of the natural numbers?

Let $ K(\mathbb{N}) $ denote the set of all finite simplicial complexes with vertices in $\mathbb{N}$. Let $ f\colon \mathbb{N} \to K(\mathbb{N}) $ be a computable bijection. Let $ R $ = { $ (m, n) $ |...
4 votes
1 answer
512 views

Can adding Hilbert's epsilon to a theory, and then expanding that theories axiom schema to include the new language, cause it to become inconsistent?

Epsilon Calculus is a formalism developed by Hilbert adding his $\epsilon$ operator to predicate logic. $\epsilon x. A(x)$ is a term such that $\exists x.A(x) \implies A(\epsilon x.A(x))$. In can ...
-5 votes
1 answer
464 views

How much would a mathematician cost? [closed]

Recently our department lost one of the best professors who was attracted by a better University. If we were a football club, and he were a leading player, we would receive many millions of ...
25 votes
1 answer
2k views

Can you have a type theory where there is type of all types?

Normally in a type theory, you can not have a type of all types, due to Girard's paradox. This is somewhat similar to how in set theory, you cannot have a set of all sets. Therefore, usually you just ...
3 votes
1 answer
149 views

Does CZF prove there is a minimal cauchy completion of the rationals?

In IZF, we can easily prove there is a minimal cauchy complete field extending the rationals: the dedekind reals are cauchy complete, so just intersect all of its cauchy complete subfields. CZF can ...
5 votes
4 answers
1k views

How can you formalize the metamathematics conventionally used to state Godel’s theorem?

Gödel’s incompleteness theorem states that for any sufficiently strong formal system $T$ there exists a statement $G$ such that if $T$ is consistent, then $G$ is true but not provable in $T$. But I’m ...
2 votes
0 answers
231 views

A formal definition of a useful theorem?

Sorry if this feels a bit squishy, but I'm wondering if there is any published work trying to give a fully formal definition of the notion of a useful theorem. I mean, in mathematics we all know that ...
2 votes
0 answers
95 views

How restrained are we in terms of metatheories when working with higher order logics with full semantics?

When working in the realm of first order logic one can use very basic mathematical backgrounds(in reverse mathematical sense) to prove interesting things about more "structures". In what ...
6 votes
5 answers
3k views

A meta-mathematical question related to Hilbert tenth problem

I am reading Bjorn Poonen's very nice survey on Hilbert's Tenth problem (http://www-math.mit.edu/~poonen/papers/uniform.pdf), and while I believe I understand the mathematics well, I have widespread ...
7 votes
2 answers
684 views

What two ordinals are these (based on definable ordinals)?

Let $D$ be the set of definable ordinals. An ordinal s is definable if there is a predicate $p$ (in the language of (first-order) set theory), such that $p(x) \iff x=s$ for all $x$. This is definitely ...
7 votes
2 answers
408 views

Equivalences of $n$-categories

This question is an extension of my previous question last year (see [2020]) in which I asked about the (consensus of a) definition of a weak $n$-category. Here are some background: while strict $n$-...
33 votes
3 answers
5k views

Top-down mathematics, or "Where it all begins"

Sorry if this is off-topic. It was my attempt to take a top-down approach to mathematics. Being an inexperienced undergraduate (so please take my writing here lightly), I've been presented with ZFC as ...
14 votes
1 answer
915 views

So after all, what is this thing about topos theory and non-binary truth?

Disclaimer. The question below is necessarily vague. I understand neither the subject matter topos theory nor the object about which my question is (the construction of a fractional / non-binary / ...
17 votes
3 answers
5k views

Is there a compendium of the consistency strength between the most important formal theories?

Preliminar Notions: A formal system is a tuple $(\Sigma,G,A,R)$ where $\Sigma$ is an alphabet (set of symbols), $G$ is a formal grammar on $\Sigma$ that generates a formal language $L$ (set of well ...
16 votes
3 answers
1k views

Is there a semantics for intuitionistic logic that is meta-theoretically "self-hosting"?

One can study the standard semantics of classical propositional logic within classical logic set theory, so we can say that the semantics of classical logic is meta-theoretically "self-hosting&...
3 votes
1 answer
439 views

Is there an equivalent of the incompleteness theorems/halting problem in category theory?

Taking the doctrine of computational trinitarianism ( https://ncatlab.org/nlab/show/computational+trinitarianism ), if one understands the incompleteness theorems as the "logic" version, and ...
26 votes
3 answers
3k views

What sorts of extra axioms might we add to ZFC to compute higher Busy Beaver numbers?

First, some context. Ever since I was a high schooler, I have been fascinated with large numbers. As I have grown in mathematical maturity, I have become both disappointed and fascinated to see that ...
17 votes
5 answers
5k views

Bourbaki's epsilon-calculus notation

Bourbaki used a very very strange notation for the epsilon-calculus consisting of $\tau$s and $\blacksquare$. In fact, that box should not be filled in, but for some reason, I can't produce a \Box. ...
4 votes
0 answers
402 views

How can I prove that primitive recursion “preserves” representability in Peano Arithmetic?

I'm working on my thesis about Gödel's Incompleteness Theorems, and at some point I need to prove that the $\textsf{PA}$ system is able to represent all the recursive functions. By recursive function ...
8 votes
1 answer
445 views

Natural $\Pi_1$ sentence independent of PA

Order invariant graphs and finite incompleteness by Harvey Friedman gives an example of a combinatorial/non-metamathematical $\Pi_1$ sentence that is independent of ZFC. Is there a simpler example of ...
10 votes
4 answers
1k views

Complete extensions of first order logic (or language)

Lindstrom's theorem states that any extension of first order logic (FOL) more expressible than FOL fails to have either compactness or Lowenheim-Skolem. When I first read Lindstrom's theorem my first ...
26 votes
9 answers
5k views

Proofs of Gödel's theorem

I am interested in different contexts in which Gödel's incompleteness theorems arise. Besides traditional Gödelian proof via arithmetization and formalization of liar paradox it may also be obtained ...
17 votes
1 answer
2k views

What is known about the relationship between Fermat's last theorem and Peano Arithmetic?

As far as I know, whether Fermat's Last Theorem is provable in Peano Arithmetic is an open problem. What is known about this problem? In particular, what is known about the arithmetic systems $PA + \...
-4 votes
1 answer
196 views

Is there a procedure to derive models from axiomatic systems? [closed]

Is there a systematic procedure to construct a model of an axiomatic system from the system itself? For example given the abstract postulates of a ring we can show that the integers satisfies them ...
2 votes
1 answer
269 views

Possible to prove a lemma from Godel's completeness theorem in intuitionistic logic?

I am trying to determine whether a particular theorem used in the course of Godel’s (1930) proof of the completeness of predicate logic could be proven in an intuitionistic metatheory. Theorem VI (p....
6 votes
6 answers
2k views

Formal proof of Con(ZFC) => Con(ZFC + not CH) in ZFC

Is it possible to prove $Con(ZFC) \rightarrow Con(ZFC + \neg CH)$ purely within ZFC? To prove this (using forcing) one seems to need a countable transitive model of ZFC. The texts I am reading avoid ...
8 votes
0 answers
650 views

Is there any theorem achieving Conway's "Mathematician's Liberation Movement"

John Conway on in the appendix to part zero of ONAG describes a "Mathematician's Liberation Movement". The goal would be to give mathematicians the freedom to create mathematical theories with the ...
2 votes
1 answer
404 views

ZFC ability to express truth and $\omega$ - consistency

Some theories can lie about their own consistency (for example, if $PA$ is consistent then the theory $PA + \lnot CON(PA)$ is consistent, although it proves its own inconsistency). Now working with ...
1 vote
0 answers
95 views

Questions in proof theory (PRA-provability of EA-theorems, Girards book from '87)

I've been working through a textbook, often encountering difficulties with the exercises. On mathstackexchange, with most of them I haven't arrived yet at a satisfactory solution. As I understand, ...
0 votes
0 answers
158 views

Are the HBL derivability conditions necessary for Gödel's incompleteness theorems? (For Löb's theorem?)

I've been working through a textbook, often encountering difficulties with the exercises. On mathstackexchange, with most of them I haven't arrived yet at a satisfactory solution. As I understand, ...
1 vote
0 answers
106 views

n-consistency - provability/truth of $\Sigma^0_n$ and $\Pi^0_{n+1}$ -formulas; n-consistent extensions, etc

I've been working through a textbook, often encountering difficulties with the exercises. On mathstackexchange, with most of them I haven't arrived yet at a satisfactory solution. As I understand, ...
18 votes
1 answer
356 views

Proof as a Σ₁ approximation to truth: what about higher degrees?

Let us posit that the goal of mathematics is to study mathematical truths, and let us stick to arithmetic for simplicity: so let $\mathscr{T} \subseteq \mathbb{N}$ be the set of (Gödel codes of) true ...
3 votes
1 answer
295 views

Unorthodox constructive reasoning: The Kleene Getaway

KG (the Kleene Getaway) is the name I improvised (in my answer to a question on MO on constructive Perron-Frobenius) for a constructive principle which enables the direct constructive use of a ...
72 votes
31 answers
9k views

Can infinity shorten proofs a lot?

I've just been asked for a good example of a situation in maths where using infinity can greatly shorten an argument. The person who wants the example wants it as part of a presentation to the general ...
3 votes
0 answers
272 views

Can we prove the epsilon theorems without the axiom of choice?

Hilbert's epsilon $\epsilon$ is a quantifier. It follows the rule that if $\exists x. p(x)$, for some predicate $p$, we can infer $p(\epsilon x. p(x))$. Semantically, it represents picking some ...
7 votes
2 answers
663 views

Is every true statement independent of $PA$ equivalent to some consistency statement?

Most true statements independent of PA that I know of is equivalent to some consistency statement. For example Con(PA), Con(PA + Con(PA)), Con(PA + Con(PA) + Con (PA + Con(PA)), $\dots$ Goodstein's ...
4 votes
2 answers
776 views

What things does ZFC not know if it knows?

The statement "ZFC $\vdash 0=1$" is independent of ZFC due to Goedel's second incompleteness theorem. That got me wondering, for what other statements $\phi$ is "ZFC $\vdash \phi$" independent of ZFC? ...
4 votes
2 answers
473 views

Experiments physically performable in a finite amount of time whose results are independent of ZFC [closed]

In On independence and large cardinal strength of physical statements we see that their are physical statements which are independent of ZFC, and even strong cardinal axioms. There were many answers, ...
2 votes
1 answer
170 views

Internal operations on uncomputable functions

Is there know set of operations for which uncomputable functions are, let's name it down-unclosed? I mean a set of operations which takes two ( or more) uncomputable functions and return computable ...
11 votes
4 answers
2k views

Embedding Theorem for topological spaces, and in general

There are many examples throughout mathematics of abstracting the formal properties of a "familiar" structure, but then having a theorem stating that all models of the abstract axioms embed into one ...
85 votes
4 answers
21k views

The enigmatic complexity of number theory

One of the most salient aspects of the discipline of number theory is that from a very small number of definitions, entities and axioms one is led to an extraordinary wealth and diversity of theorems, ...
3 votes
0 answers
251 views

A theory which denies the existence of a truth predicate

Is there a paper or other reference that explores the implications of a theory that denying the existence of a truth predicate in its own language (perhaps based on ZFC or PA)? I know that a theory ...
1 vote
1 answer
1k views

Question about the validity of Michael Grossman, Robert Katz and Jane Grossman Non-Newtonian / Meta / Multiplicative Calculus [closed]

I am no mathematician by far, but I have studied diff. and integral calc and beyond, in my undergrad years. I recently came upon this book: "The First Systems of Weighted Differential and ...
1 vote
2 answers
753 views

Can you remove all the extra arithmetic from ZFC (or other theories)?

Let $\mathbb{N}$ be the standard model of the natural numbers. For any statement in the language of arithmetic, we can translate into a statement in the language of set theory by asking if it is true ...
6 votes
1 answer
363 views

What drawbacks are there to using NF(U) for category theory?

In category theory, you often run into what is known as "size" issues. That is, you run into the issue that the categories you try to define are too "big" to be sets, and so you need to use classes or ...
3 votes
1 answer
347 views

Can you formulate a theory stating that a truth predicate does not exist for first order set theory?

A truth predicate for first order set theory would allow you to determine the truth of statements in first order set theory. A definition is given here. My question is, can you formulate a statement ...
2 votes
1 answer
643 views

Is ZFC plus a truth predicate capable of variable substitution consistent?

Let us define a truth predicate that allows one to substitute in variables. For example, for a 3-ary predicate $p$ and sets $A$, $B$, and $C$, then $\text{true}(\ulcorner p \urcorner, A, B, C)$ (where ...
33 votes
1 answer
3k views

Is there a common genesis for ADE classifications?

Recall that a certain type of object admits an ADE classification if there is a notion of equivalence relative to which equivalence classes of objects of the given type can be placed in one-to-one ...