The double negation of the intermediate value theorem

In the context of intuitionistic analysis, we consider the set F consisting of all continuous functions ? from [0,1] to R such that ?(0)=0 and ?(1)=1, and the set I₀ consisting of ?’s in F where there exists x∈[0,1] such that . It is well-known that there are weak counterexamples to the intermediate value theorem, and with Brouwer’s continuity principle we have I₀≠F. However, there exists no satisfying answer to . We try to answer to this question by reducing it to a schema (which we call ) about intuitionistic decidability that asserts “there exists an intuitionistically enumerable set that is not intuitionistically decidable”. We also introduce the notion of strong Specker double sequence, and prove that the existence of such a double sequence is equivalent to the existence of a function ?∈F_mon where .     

A measure-theoretic proof of Turing incomparability

We prove that if S is an ω-model of weak weak König’s lemma and , is incomputable, then there exists , such that A and B are Turing incomparable. This extends a recent result of Ku?era and Slaman who proved that if S₀ is a Scott set (i.e. an ω-model of weak König’s lemma) and A∈S₀, A⊆ω, is incomputable, then there exists B∈S₀, B⊆ω, such that A and B are Turing incomparable.     

The increment ratio statistic

We introduce a new statistic written as a sum of certain ratios of second-order increments of partial sums process of observations, which we call the increment ratio (IR) statistic. The IR statistic can be used for testing nonparametric hypotheses for d-integrated () behavior of time series X_t, including short memory (d=0), (stationary) long-memory and unit roots (d=1). If S_n behaves asymptotically as an (integrated) fractional Brownian motion with parameter , the IR statistic converges to a monotone function Λ(d) of as both the sample size N and the window parameter m increase so that N/m→∞. For Gaussian observations X_t, we obtain a rate of decay of the bias EIR-Λ(d) and a central limit theorem (N/m)^1/2(IR-EIR)→N(0,σ²(d)), in the region . Graphs of the functions Λ(d) and σ(d) are included. A simulation study shows that the IR test for short memory (d=0) against stationary long-memory alternatives has good size and power properties and is robust against changes in mean, slowly varying trends and nonstationarities. We apply this statistic to sequences of squares of returns on financial assets and obtain a nuanced picture of the presence of long-memory in asset price volatility.     

q-Analog of the Möbius function and the cyclotomic identity associated to a profinite group

Let G be a profinite group and q an indeterminate. In this paper, we introduce and study a q-analog of the Möbius function and the cyclotomic identity arising from the lattice of open subgroups of G. When q is any integer, we show that they have close connections with the functors , , and introduced in [Y.-T. Oh, q-Deformation of Witt-Burnside rings, Math. Z. 257 (2007) 151-191]. In particular, we interpret the multiplicative property of the inverse of the table of marks and the Möbius function of G as a composition property of certain functors. Classification of , , and up to strict natural isomorphism as q varies over the set of integers and its application will be dealt with, too.     

Classical predicative logic-enriched type theories

A logic-enriched type theory (LTT) is a type theory extended with a primitive mechanism for forming and proving propositions. We construct two LTTs, named and , which we claim correspond closely to the classical predicative systems of second order arithmetic and . We justify this claim by translating each second order system into the corresponding LTT, and proving that these translations are conservative. This is part of an ongoing research project to investigate how LTTs may be used to formalise different approaches to the foundations of mathematics.The two LTTs we construct are subsystems of the logic-enriched type theory , which is intended to formalise the classical predicative foundation presented by Herman Weyl in his monograph Das Kontinuum. The system has also been claimed to correspond to Weyl’s foundation. By casting and as LTTs, we are able to compare them with . It is a consequence of the work in this paper that is strictly stronger than .The conservativity proof makes use of a novel technique for proving one LTT conservative over another, involving defining an interpretation of the stronger system out of the expressions of the weaker. This technique should be applicable in a wide variety of different cases outside the present work.     

Unprovability threshold for the planar graph minor theorem

This note is part of the implementation of a programme in foundations of mathematics to find exact threshold versions of all mathematical unprovability results known so far, a programme initiated by Weiermann. Here we find the exact versions of unprovability of the finite graph minor theorem with growth rate condition restricted to planar graphs, connected planar graphs and graphs embeddable into a given surface, assuming an unproved conjecture (*): ‘there is a number a>0 such that for all k≥3, and all n≥1, the proportion of connected graphs among unlabelled planar graphs of size n omitting the k-element circle as minor is greater than a’. Let γ be the unlabelled planar growth constant (27.2269≤γ<30.061). Let P(c) be the following first-order arithmetical statement with real parameter c: “for every K there is N such that whenever G₁,G₂,…,G_N are unlabelled planar graphs with |G_i|<K+c⋅log₂i then for some i<j≤N, G_i is isomorphic to a minor of G_j”. Then

1.

for every , P(c) is provable in IΔ₀+exp;

2.

for every , P(c) is unprovable in .

We also give proofs of some upper and lower bounds for unprovability thresholds in the general case of the finite graph minor theorem.     

Kripke semantics for provability logic GLP

A well-known polymodal provability logic due to Japaridze is complete w.r.t. the arithmetical semantics where modalities correspond to reflection principles of restricted logical complexity in arithmetic. This system plays an important role in some recent applications of provability algebras in proof theory. However, an obstacle in the study of is that it is incomplete w.r.t. any class of Kripke frames. In this paper we provide a complete Kripke semantics for . First, we isolate a certain subsystem of that is sound and complete w.r.t. a nice class of finite frames. Second, appropriate models for are defined as the limits of chains of finite expansions of models for . The techniques involves unions of n-elementary chains and inverse limits of Kripke models. All the results are obtained by purely modal-logical methods formalizable in elementary arithmetic.     

Nonstandard arithmetic and recursive comprehension

First order reasoning about hyperintegers can prove things about sets of integers. In the author’s paper Nonstandard Arithmetic and Reverse Mathematics, Bulletin of Symbolic Logic 12 (2006) 100-125, it was shown that each of the “big five” theories in reverse mathematics, including the base theory , has a natural nonstandard counterpart. But the counterpart of has a defect: it does not imply the Standard Part Principle that a set exists if and only if it is coded by a hyperinteger. In this paper we find another nonstandard counterpart, , that does imply the Standard Part Principle.     

Elementary differences between the degrees of unsolvability and degrees of compressibility

Given two infinite binary sequences A,B we say that B can compress at least as well as A if the prefix-free Kolmogorov complexity relative to B of any binary string is at most as much as the prefix-free Kolmogorov complexity relative to A, modulo a constant. This relation, introduced in Nies (2005) [14] and denoted by A≤_LKB, is a measure of relative compressing power of oracles, in the same way that Turing reducibility is a measure of relative information. The equivalence classes induced by ≤_LK are called LK degrees (or degrees of compressibility) and there is a least degree containing the oracles which can only compress as much as a computable oracle, also called the ‘low for K’ sets. A well-known result from Nies (2005) [14] states that these coincide with the K-trivial sets, which are the ones whose initial segments have minimal prefix-free Kolmogorov complexity.We show that with respect to ≤_LK, given any non-trivial sets X,Y there is a computably enumerable set A which is not K-trivial and it is below X,Y. This shows that the local structures of and Turing degrees are not elementarily equivalent to the corresponding local structures in the LK degrees. It also shows that there is no pair of sets computable from the halting problem which forms a minimal pair in the LK degrees; this is sharp in terms of the jump, as it is known that there are sets computable from which form a minimal pair in the LK degrees. We also show that the structure of LK degrees below the LK degree of the halting problem is not elementarily equivalent to the or structures of LK degrees. The proofs introduce a new technique of permitting below a set that is not K-trivial, which is likely to have wider applications.     

Generic embeddings associated to an indestructibly weakly compact cardinal

I use generic embeddings induced by generic normal measures on P_κ(λ) that can be forced to exist if κ is an indestructibly weakly compact cardinal. These embeddings can be applied in order to obtain the forcing axioms in forcing extensions. This has consequences in : The Singular Cardinal Hypothesis holds above κ, and κ has a useful Jónsson-like property. This in turn implies that the countable tower Q_<κ works much like it does when κ is a Woodin limit of Woodin cardinals. One consequence is that every set of reals in the Chang model is Lebesgue measurable and has the Baire Property, the Perfect Set Property and the Ramsey Property. So indestructible weak compactness has effects on cardinal arithmetic high up and also on the structure of sets of real numbers, down low, similar to supercompactness.