Non‐elementary speed‐ups in logic calculi

In this paper we show some non‐elementary speed‐ups in logic calculi: Both a predicative second‐order logic and a logic for fixed points of positive formulas are shown to have non‐elementary speed‐ups over first‐order logic. Also it is shown that eliminating second‐order cut formulas in second‐order logic has to increase sizes of proofs super‐exponentially, and the same in eliminating second‐order epsilon axioms. These are proved by relying on results due to P. Pudlák. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)