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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.

4 votes

Gödel's speed up theorem and Matiyasevich polynomials

I think you're right. In Gödel's speed-up theorem, one may consider the statement $\sigma$, asserting that "there is no proof of $\sigma$ in PA of length less than a googolplex symbols." Now, if the …
Joel David Hamkins's user avatar
3 votes
Accepted

Interpretability and consistency strength

John Steel spoke at the EFI series at Harvard concerning his ideas on The triple helix, which has to do in part with the interplay of large cardinal strength and the arithmetic interpretability hierar …
Joel David Hamkins's user avatar
44 votes
Accepted

Writing "Semi-Formal" Proofs

The question becomes interesting when it is interpreted as a technical question about the extent to which we can have a semi-formal language somehow in-between the truly formal proofs, which are large …
Joel David Hamkins's user avatar
8 votes

Examples of statements that provably can't be proved using a promising looking method

Gödel had conjectured that large cardinals might settle the continuum problem. He thought, for example, that perhaps the existence of a measurable cardinal would imply $\neg\text{CH}$. Such a perspect …
5 votes

Axiom systems and Information Theory

I believe that the answer to your question lies with the Lindenbaum algebra, which is a Boolean algebra (and topological space) that is naturally associated with any formal language, and which provide …
Joel David Hamkins's user avatar
7 votes

Difference between turnstile and implication

In the second case, you are saying that a certain tautology is provable. In the first case, you are saying that if phi is provable, then a certain other implication is provable. And one way you could …
Joel David Hamkins's user avatar
12 votes

Infinite descending consistency chains

Here is perhaps a more relatable example, which doesn't use self-reference. (I once heard a similar such example from W. Hugh Woodin.)$\newcommand\Con{\text{Con}}\newcommand\ZFC{\text{ZFC}}$ Let $\ps …
Joel David Hamkins's user avatar
23 votes

Independence of PA implies independence of PA union all true $\Pi_1$ statements

The claim you have asked us to prove is not true. If PA is consistent, then by the Incompleteness Theorem there are $\Pi_1$ statements that are independent of PA, such as Con(PA), which can be seen to …
Joel David Hamkins's user avatar
21 votes
Accepted

Is there a consistent arithmetically definable extension of PA that proves its own consistency?

Surprisingly, the answer is yes! Well, let me say that the answer is yes for what I find to be a reasonable way to understand what you've asked. Specifically, what I claim is that if PA is consistent …
Joel David Hamkins's user avatar
144 votes
Accepted

Reductio ad absurdum or the contrapositive?

Although the other answers correctly explain the basic logical equivalence of the two proof methods, I believe an important point has been missed: With good reason, we mathematicians prefer a direct …
Joel David Hamkins's user avatar
8 votes
Accepted

Does the notion of provably total function depend on the chosen representation?

Yes, this concept depends on how you represent the function. For example, the constant zero function is provably total, under that description, that is, using the formula $\varphi(x,y)$ equal to "$y …
Joel David Hamkins's user avatar
9 votes
Accepted

Proof complexity of two directions of equivalency?

I think that there are numerous trivial examples of this. Take any implication $p\to q$ that is provable, but has no short proof. It follows that the equivalence $$q\leftrightarrow (p\vee q)$$ is …
Joel David Hamkins's user avatar
13 votes
Accepted

The Halting Problem and Church's Thesis

Let me point out that there are really a family of Church-Turing theses assertions. On the one hand, for what is sometimes described as the weak Church-Turing thesis, one imagines an idealized human …
Joel David Hamkins's user avatar
3 votes

Membership Provability in co-RE Sets

Noah has given an excellent answer. Here is another way to look at such an answer. Theorem. For EVERY computably enumerable set $R$ and for every computably axiomatizable consistent theory $T$, the …
Joel David Hamkins's user avatar
7 votes
Accepted

the choice of representing formulas and Gödel's second incompleteness theorem

$\newcommand\Con{\text{Con}}\newcommand\ZFC{\text{ZFC}}$ So on the one hand, we have the usual assertion $\Con(\ZFC)$, which asserts that $\ZFC$ is consistent using a straightforward representation o …
Joel David Hamkins's user avatar

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