Related papers: Slow Reflection
The notion of slow provability for Peano Arithmetic ($\mathsf{PA}$) was introduced by S.D. Friedman, M. Rathjen, and A. Weiermann. They studied the slow consistency statement $\mathrm{Con}_{\mathsf{s}}$ that asserts that a contradiction is…
Let $\operatorname{Con}(\mathbf T)\!\restriction\!x$ denote the finite consistency statement "there are no proofs of contradiction in $\mathbf T$ with $\leq x$ symbols". For a large class of natural theories $\mathbf T$, Pudl\'ak has shown…
We study reflection principles of Peano Arithmetic PA which are based on both proof and provability. Any such reflection principle in PA is equivalent to either $\Box P\!\rightarrow\! P$ ($\Box P$ stands for `$P$ is provable') or $\Box^k…
In much discussed work Artemov has recently shown that, for $\mathrm{PA}$, the consistency schema admits a form of uniform verification via selector proofs, despite the unprovability of the corresponding uniform consistency sentence…
In this note, we show that, despite the widespread assumption, the consistency formula for Peano Arithmetic PA, Con(PA), "for all x, x is not a code of a derivation of (0=1)," is not equivalent in PA to the consistency of PA. Specifically,…
Induction is typically formalized as a rule or axiom extension of the LK-calculus. While this extension of the sequent calculus is simple and elegant, proof transformation and analysis can be quite difficult. Theories with an induction…
Harvey Friedman shows that, over Peano Arithmetic, the consistency statement for a finitely axiomatised theory $A$ can be characterised as the weakest statement $C$ over Peano Arithmetic such that ${\sf PA}+C$ interprets $A$. We study which…
We offer a mathematical proof of consistency for Peano Arithmetic PA formalizable in PA. This result is compatible with Goedel's Second Incompleteness Theorem since our consistency proof does not rely on the representation of consistency as…
As Paris and Harrington have famously shown, Peano Arithmetic does not prove that for all numbers $k,m,n$ there is an $N$ which satisfies the statement $\operatorname{PH}(k,m,n,N)$: For any $k$-colouring of its $n$-element subsets the set…
Non-compact proofs are a class of reasoning that is used in mathematics but overlooked in the analysis of (un)provability of consistency. We focus on proofs of arithmetical statements (*) "for any natural number n, F(n)." A proof of (*) is…
For Hilbert, the consistency of a formal theory T is an infinite series of statements "D is free of contradictions" for each derivation D and a consistency proof is i) an operation that, given D, yields a proof that D is free of…
We consider extensions of the language of Peano arithmetic by transfinitely iterated truth definitions satisfying uniform Tarskian biconditionals. Without further axioms, such theories are known to be conservative extensions of the original…
A formula $\phi$ is called \emph{$n$-provable} in a formal arithmetical theory $S$ if $\phi$ is provable in $S$ together with all true arithmetical $\Pi_{n}$-sentences taken as additional axioms. While in general the set of all $n$-provable…
We study the logical complexity of proofs in cyclic arithmetic ($\mathsf{CA}$), as introduced in Simpson '17, in terms of quantifier alternations of formulae occurring. Writing $C\Sigma_n$ for (the logical consequences of) cyclic proofs…
The reflection principle is the statement that if a sentence is provable then it is true. Reflection principles have been studied for first-order theories, but they also play an important role in propositional proof complexity. In this…
We show that the theory $I\Sigma_1$ of $\Sigma_1$-induction proves the following statement: For all $n\geq 2$, the uniform $\Sigma_1$-reflection principle over the theory $I\Sigma_n$ is equivalent to the totality of the function…
Classical theory proves that every primitive recursive function is strongly representable in PA; that formal Peano Arithmetic, PA, and formal primitive recursive arithmetic, PRA, can both be interpreted in Zermelo-Fraenkel Set Theory, ZF;…
In mathematical logic there are two seemingly distinct kinds of principles called "reflection principles." Semantic reflection principles assert that if a formula holds in the whole universe, then it holds in a set-sized model. Syntactic…
In 2010, Vladimir Voevodsky gave a lecture on "What If Current Foundations of Mathematics Are Inconsistent?" Among other things he said that he was seriously suspicious that an inconsistency in PA (first-order Peano arithmetic) might…
For $n<\omega$, we say that the $\Pi^1_n$-reflection principle holds at $\kappa$ and write $\text{Refl}_n(\kappa)$ if and only if $\kappa$ is a $\Pi^1_n$-indescribable cardinal and every $\Pi^1_n$-indescribable subset of $\kappa$ has a…