Questions tagged [model-theory]
Model theory is the branch of mathematical logic which deals with the connection between a formal language and its interpretations, or models.
206
questions
59
votes
6
answers
7k
views
Has decidability got something to do with primes?
Note: I have modified the question to make it clearer and more relevant. That makes some of references to the old version no longer hold. I hope the victims won't be furious over this.
Motivation:
...
12
votes
1
answer
602
views
Can $\mathcal{L}_{\omega_1,\omega}$ detect $\mathcal{L}_{\omega_1,\omega}$-equivalence?
Roughly speaking, say that a logic $\mathcal{L}$ is self-equivalence-defining (SED) iff for each finite signature $\Sigma$ there is a larger signature $\Sigma'\supseteq\Sigma\sqcup\{A,B\}$ with $A,B$ ...
13
votes
2
answers
705
views
ω-categorical, ω-stable structure with trivial geometry not definable in the pure set
Briefly, my question is the following.
does every countable ω-categorical, ω-stable structure with
disintegrated strongly minimal sets interpret in the countable pure set?
By countable pure set I ...
8
votes
0
answers
249
views
Monadic second-order theories of the reals
I’m looking for a survey of monadic second-order theories of the reals.
I’m starting from a 1985 survey by Gurevich which says (p 505) that true arithmetic can be reduced to “the monadic theory of ...
67
votes
3
answers
4k
views
Is there a 0-1 law for the theory of groups?
Several months ago, Dominik asked the question Is there a 0-1 law for the theory of groups? on mathstackexchange, but although his question received attention there is still no answer. By asking the ...
66
votes
5
answers
6k
views
Heuristic argument that finite simple groups _ought_ to be "classifiable"?
Obviously there exists a list of the finite simple groups, but why should it be a nice list, one that you can write down?
Solomon's AMS article goes some way toward a historical / technical ...
42
votes
8
answers
12k
views
What are some proofs of Godel's Theorem which are *essentially different* from the original proof?
I am looking for examples of proofs of Godel's (First) Incompleteness Theorem which are essentially different from (Rosser's improvement of) Godel's original proof.
This is partly inspired by ...
38
votes
4
answers
4k
views
Illustrating Edward Nelson's Worldview with Nonstandard Models of Arithmetic
Mathematician Edward Nelson is known for his extreme views on the foundations of mathematics, variously described as "ultrafintism" or "strict finitism" (Nelson's preferred term), which came into the ...
37
votes
6
answers
3k
views
What are the advantages of the more abstract approaches to nonstandard analysis?
This question does not concern the comparative merits of standard (SA) and nonstandard (NSA) analysis but rather a comparison of different approaches to NSA. What are the concrete advantages of the ...
22
votes
5
answers
1k
views
What is the spectrum of possible cofinality types for cuts in an ordered field? Or in a model of the hyperreals? Or in a nonstandard model of arithmetic?
I am interested to know the full range of possibilities for the cofinality type of cuts in an ordered field and in other structures, such as nonstandard models of arithmetic.
Definitions. ...
15
votes
5
answers
3k
views
Is it necessary that model of theory is a set?
From Model Theory article from wikipedia : "A theory is satisfiable if it has a model $ M\models T$ i.e. a structure (of the appropriate signature) which satisfies all the sentences in the set $T$". ...
14
votes
2
answers
971
views
"Fraïssé limits" without amalgamation
All structures are countable with countable signature.
Given a structure $\mathcal{A}$, the age of $\mathcal{A}$, $Age(\mathcal{A})$, is the set of structures isomorphic to finitely-generated ...
10
votes
2
answers
1k
views
A question about open induction
An old theorem of A. J. Wilkie (Some results and problems on weak systems of arithmetic, Logic Colloquium '77) asserts that a discretely ordered ring $R$ can be extended to a model of open induction ...
8
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Tractability of forcing-invariant statements under large cardinals
It is usual to mention theorems of the kind:
Th. Assume there is a proper class of Woodin cardinals, $\mathbb{P} $ is a partial order and $G \subseteq \mathbb{P}$ is V-generic, then $V \models \phi \...
8
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Is there one binary operation foundational for set theory?
The membership relationship "$\in$" is foundational for set theory, in the sense that the axioms of any set theory are formulated in the language of "$\in$". Naturally, the ...