Questions tagged [proof-theory]
For question in Proof Theory, where "proofs" themselves are the object of mathematical investigation. It is not to be used to request a proof of some result.
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Godel's second incompleteness theorem for non-r.e. theories
R. Jeroslow in this paper proves that a non-recursively enumerable theory whose set of theorems is $\Delta_2$-definable may prove consistency of itself
but it can not prove 2-consistency of itself.
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What defines a "short proof"?
I would like to know what the definition of a short proof is.
In Lance Fortnow’s article “The Status of the P Versus NP Problem”, Communications of the ACM, Vol. 52 No. 9, he says,
If a formula θ ...
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Generalizing a result of Kreisel on $\omega$-consistency
In (reference)The following result is attributed to Kreisel:
Lemma1(Kreisel) If $T$ is an $\omega$-consistent theory in the language of arithmetic and $\pi$ is a true $\Pi_1$ sentence, then $T+\pi$ ...
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What is known about the reverse mathematics of algebraic number fields?
I know work on the reverse mathematics of countable algebraic field extensions including Galois theory, notably including Dorais, Hirst, and Shafer http://arxiv.org/pdf/1209.4944v2.pdf. But algebraic ...
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Can ZFC prove it cannot derive an inconsistency in $n$ steps?
Let $Con(\mathtt{ZFC}, n)$ denote the statement "$\mathtt{ZFC}$ cannot prove the contradiction within $n$ steps (or better within $n$ symbols) within a given proof system (say a natural deduction to ...
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Notion of strongness in cut rule [closed]
I've read somewhere that the cut rule in sequent calculus
$$\frac{A \vdash \mathbf{C}, B \qquad A',\mathbf{C} \vdash B'}{A,A' \vdash B,B'} (\text{cut})$$
states that the $\mathbf{C}$ on the right is ...
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What is the consistency strength of a standard model of ZF versus a transitive model?
A standard model of ZF need not be transitive, of course, and Joel David Hamkins' answer to Large cardinal axioms and Grothendieck universes gives Tarski sets as an interesting example.
I should ...
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Higher order arithmetic and fragments of ZFC
Zbierski "Models for Higher Order Arithmetics" (BULL. DE L'ACAD. POLONAISE DES SCIENCES Serie des sciences math., astr. et phys. - Vol. XIX, No. 7, 1971) defines ZF$_n$ as ZFC with the power set axiom ...
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Von Neumann's consistency proof
In the paper Zur Hilbertschen Beweistheorie, John Von Neumann has proposed a consistency proof for
a fragment of first-order arithmetic (the fragment without induction and with
the successor axioms ...
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When was Bounded Zermelo set theory first formulated?
Bounded Zermelo set theory, and many variants named for MacLane in some way, are used in equiconsistency proofs for Simple Theory of Types plus infinity, and for the Elementary Theory of the Category ...
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Peano arithmetic vs. fast-growing hierarchy with pathological fundamental sequences
Fundamental sequence for a countable limit ordinal $\alpha$ is an increasing sequence $\{\alpha[i]\}$ of ordinals of length $\omega$ such that $\lim_{i\rightarrow\omega}\alpha[i]=\alpha$. There are ...
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Which ordinals can be proof-theoretic ordinals of a reasonable theory?
When talking to a friend recently he asked a question - are there any reasonable first-order theories which have proof theoretic ordinal equal to small or large Veblen ordinal? I have then extended ...
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Decidability of decidability
The questions I'm going to ask are non formal because they concern decidability of decidability, and I couldn't find any references on that after some quick searches. I hope that this thread is still "...
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An interpretation of not-Con(PA)
Edit After Andreas Blass answer below and comments below the original post I have changed it to accommodate posters' remarks. I hope it is clear and makes more sense now.
Let $\mathrm{PA}$ be the ...
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Time in Girard's Geometry of Interaction
Jean-Yves Girard writes at the end of his paper
"Towards a Geometry of Interaction", page 105, that we have three intuitions about the nature of time:
time is logic modulo the order of rules,
time ...
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Models of PRA/EFA with induction on $X$ but not $\omega^X$
As I currently understand it, induction on formulas containing $N+1$ first-order quantifiers is required to prove the well-ordering of the ordinal $(\omega \uparrow\uparrow N) < \epsilon_0$, that ...
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Essential incompleteness via diophantine formulas?
Work in the first order language of number theory, consisting of the symbols $\mathbf{0}$, $\mathbf{S}$, $\boldsymbol{+}$, and $\boldsymbol{\cdot}$, and let $Q$ denote Robinson's arithmetic.
By a ...
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Results where complexity bounds implies finite number of test cases
We have all been there, when a formula works for the first 30 parameters,
but it is not sufficient for a proof. My question is where one can actually just check a finite number of cases, to conclude ...
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Proof complexity of two directions of equivalency?
This question is not precise, but I believe has a precise formulation.
Consider a mathematical theorem which gives an equivalency between two conditions. As an extreme example:
Theorem.
A ...
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Does formalizing math require search and creativity, or is it near-mechanical?
I remember reading somewhere that it takes about a week to convert a page of math into something a proof-assistant like Isabelle or HOL Light would accept.
Is this type of conversion something that ...
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Is it possible for a theorem to be constructive only in a non-constructive metatheory?
There are several theorems in category-theoretic logic which say something like, "any proposition in X logic that is provable in topos logic assuming (the law of excluded middle and) the axiom of ...
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Gödel's speed up theorem and Matiyasevich polynomials
Unless I am sadly mistaken, there should exist a polynomial $ P\in\mathbb Z[X_1,X_2,\dots, X_n]$ coding for the speed-up theorem (for, say, ZFC), i.e. having the following properties :
1) P has an ...
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notable inductive proofs relating to fractals
what are notable/ prominent inductive proofs relating to fractals?
the motivation for this question is:
fractals are very difficult mathematical objects to work with, and many problems/questions ...
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$n$th order arithmetic with predicates for orders
Two papers I have looked at lately axiomatize $n$-th order arithmetic in a single sorted language with predicates $Z_1,\dots,Z_n$ and axioms like $\forall x(Z_1(x)\vee\dots\vee Z_n(x))$ to say ...
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Does the totality of Ackermann's function prove the consistency of $\Sigma_1$-induction?
It is well known that Ackermann's function is not primitive recursive. Therefore, the theories of primitive recursive arithmetic (PRA) and of $\Sigma_1$-induction ($I\Sigma_1$) cannot prove the ...
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Why is there no connection between fast-growing functions and complex analysis
I found myself wondering the other day whether the fast-growing functions from natural to naturals that are studied by people like proof theorists are the restriction to the naturals of analytic ...
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what are the proof-theoretic ordinals of second-order arithmetic and ZFC? [duplicate]
are they still smaller than omega-1-CK?what are the notations of them?
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Nontrivial upper bounds on proof-theoretic ordinals of strong theories: do we have any?
Motivated by Consistency of Analysis (second order arithmetic) and Proof-Theoretic Ordinal of ZFC or Consistent ZFC Extensions?, I have the following question:
Are there any examples of strong ...
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Consistency of Analysis (second order arithmetic)
Is there a proof of the consistency of Analysis (second order arithmetic), which is similar to Gentzen's proof of the consistency of arithmetic?
Update:
Which (different) methods can be used to ...
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Are there non-diagonal proofs for Cantor's continuum and Godel's incompletness theorems?
There is a formal definition for the notion of a formal proof.
Question 1. Is there any formal definition for the notion of a diagonal formal proof?
Consider the following theorems both proved by ...
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Reverse mathematics of meromorphic functions on Riemann surfaces
Various sources touch briefly on the reverse mathematics of measure theory and complex analysis. But I have found none on the uniformization theorem for Riemann surfaces or the existence of non-...
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When is a reduction not a reduction?
Every mathematician understands the concept of reducing a complicated problem to a simpler problem. "Without loss of generality, we may assume…" However, I've noticed that some kinds of "...
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A question about consistent fragments of formalized mathematical theories with Natural Deduction
Ref to : Sara Negri & Jan von Plato, Structural Proof Theory (2001).
In Ch.6 : Structural Proof Analysis of Axiomatic Theories [page 126-on], they
give a method of adding axioms to sequent ...
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Stabilization of recursive approximation in $PA^-+I\Sigma_1^0$
Over any model M of $PA^-+I\Sigma_1^0$. Suppose $A\in [T]$ where $T$ is a $\Delta_2^0$-tree and $A$ is one isolated path. Further, $A$ is regular, i.e. $\forall n A\upharpoonright n$ has a code in $M$....
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Show that Z2 is not conservative over PA
It is well-known that $\mathsf{ACA}_0$ is a conservative extension of PA. I assume this theorem gets a lot of attention because $\mathsf{Z}_2$ is not conservative over PA. Thus there ought to be first-...
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Is Kolmogorov complexity (KC) relevant for proof theory? [closed]
Note. The title was modified. Previous title was
"Every theorem t has a proof no more complex than~|t|. Is this right?"
The question ("Is Kolmogorov complexity (KC) relevant for proof theory?") ...
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What is the proof-theoretic ordinal of PA + Con(PA), PA + Con(PA + Con(PA)) etc., and why?
I seem to remember having read that the proof-theoretic ordinal (sup of ordinals the theory can prove well-ordered) of $\mathsf{PA} + \mathsf{Con}(\mathsf{PA})$ is the same as that of $\mathsf{PA}$, ...
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Elementary proof of bounds on factor polynomials
The question Getting a bound on the coefficients of the factor polynomial got very nice answers on Gelfond's theorem. But for work on proof theory of arithmetic I want a proof in arithmetic. The ...
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"Hard" separation results in reverse mathematics (or similar)
This is a fairly broad question. In particular, I specify 5 questions (Q1, Q2.1, Q2.2, Q3, Q4) which for me all fall under one umbrella. Since this is unreasonably broad, I'm really interested in an ...
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cut-elimination for infinitary logic
Takeuti (1987, 223) deduces a cut-elimination theorem for infinitary logic from the corresponding soundness-and-completeness theorems. However, is there a way to adapt the basic Gentzen-style ...
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What is the role of the (formalized) omega rule in Ramified Analysis?
In the 1960's, Feferman and Schutte did groundbreaking proof-theoretic work to find out the strength of predicative systems of second-order arithmetic. They used the ramified theory of types, a ...
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What is the proof-theoretic ordinal of Hyperarithmetical Comprehension?
As I discuss in my answer here, it seems to me that Solomon Feferman shows, on pages 10-11 of his seminal 1964 paper "Systems of Predicative Analysis", that if you consider predicative second-order ...
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Has the Ramified Theory of Types been applied to NBG?
Questions of predicativity are well-studied in the context of arithmetic. We have a base theory, first-order Peano arithmetic. Some people, like Edward Nelson (in chapter 1 of his book) and Charles ...
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Did Gödel prove that the Ramified Theory of Types collapses at $\omega_1$?
Second-Order Arithmetic is considered impredicative, because the comprehension scheme allows formulas with bound second-order variables that range over all sets of natural numbers, including the set ...
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Can the Burgess-Hazen analysis of Predicative Arithmetic be extended to Transfinite Types?
Around page 300 of his book "Mathematical Thought and its Objects", Charles Parsons discusses the work of Edward Nelson, who believes that mathematical induction is impredicative, because it can be ...
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Is there any danger far from home? (Edited & Revised Version) [closed]
The notion of formal proof is defined by finite sequences ($<\omega$ - sequences) of sentences. In some sense if a sentence $\sigma$ is (finitely) provable from the theory $T$ it is very "near" to ...
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Does this algorithm terminate in all scenarios?
Let $x \in \mathbb{R}^p$ denote a $p$-dimensional data point (a vector). I have two sets $A = \{x_1, \dots, x_n\}$ and $B = \{x_{n+1}, \dots, x_{n+m}\}$, so $|A| = n$, and $|B| = m$. Given $k \in \...
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Deep theorems and long proofs
I ran across this discussion by Daniel Shanks,
"Is the quadratic reciprocity law a deep theorem?."
Solved and Unsolved Problems in Number Theory. Vol. 297. AMS, 2001. p.64ff.
which made me ...
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the choice of representing formulas and Gödel's second incompleteness theorem
In Rautenberg's book (A Concise Introduction to Mathematical Logic, Universitext, Springer 2006), Gödel's second incompleteness theorem is stated:
Theorem 3.2 (Second incompleteness theorem). PA ...
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Proof-Theoretic Ordinal of ZFC or Consistent ZFC Extensions?
Let the proof theoretic ordinal $\alpha$ of a theory $T$ be the least recursive ordinal such that $T$ does not prove that $\alpha$ is well-founded. This ordinal is intended to quantify in some sense ...