Related papers: Unprovability of Strong Complexity Lower Bounds in…
In this work, we propose a new bounded arithmetic theory, denoted $APX_1$, designed to formalize a broad class of probabilistic arguments commonly used in theoretical computer science. Under plausible assumptions, $APX_1$ is strictly weaker…
We survey results on the formalization and independence of mathematical statements related to major open problems in computational complexity theory. Our primary focus is on recent findings concerning the (un)provability of complexity…
Proving that there are problems in $\mathsf{P}^\mathsf{NP}$ that require boolean circuits of super-linear size is a major frontier in complexity theory. While such lower bounds are known for larger complexity classes, existing results only…
If no optimal propositional proof system exists, we (and independently Pudl\'ak) prove that ruling out length $t$ proofs of any unprovable sentence is hard. This mapping from unprovable to hard-to-prove sentences powerfully translates facts…
Rice's Theorem states that every nontrivial language property of the recursively enumerable sets is undecidable. Borchert and Stephan initiated the search for complexity-theoretic analogs of Rice's Theorem. In particular, they proved that…
Motivated by the problem of finding finite versions of classical incompleteness theorems, we present some conjectures that go beyond ${\bf NP\neq co NP}$. These conjectures formally connect computational complexity with the difficulty of…
This paper proves Buss's hierarchy of bounded arithmetics $S^1_2 \subseteq S^2_2 \subseteq \cdots \subseteq S^i_2 \subseteq \cdots$ does not entirely collapse. More precisely, we prove that, for a certain $D$, $S^1_2 \subsetneq S^{2D+5}_2$…
Hardness magnification reduces major complexity separations (such as $\mathsf{\mathsf{EXP}} \nsubseteq \mathsf{NC}^1$) to proving lower bounds for some natural problem $Q$ against weak circuit models. Several recent works [OS18, MMW19,…
We analyse how the standard reductions between constraint satisfaction problems affect their proof complexity. We show that, for the most studied propositional, algebraic, and semi-algebraic proof systems, the classical constructions of…
This paper introduces new notions of asymptotic proofs, PT(polynomial-time)-extensions, PTM(polynomial-time Turing machine)-omega-consistency, etc. on formal theories of arithmetic including PA (Peano Arithmetic). This paper shows that P…
Recently, the separated fragment (SF) has been introduced and proved to be decidable. Its defining principle is that universally and existentially quantified variables may not occur together in atoms. The known upper bound on the time…
We investigate the complexity of explicit construction problems, where the goal is to produce a particular object of size $n$ possessing some pseudorandom property in time polynomial in $n$. We give overwhelming evidence that $\bf{APEPP}$,…
We study a new class of NP search problems, those which can be proved total using standard combinatorial reasoning based on approximate counting. Our model for this kind of reasoning is the bounded arithmetic theory $\mathrm{APC}_2$ of…
We study the *refuter* problems for proof complexity lower bounds. Suppose $\varphi$ is a hard tautology that does not admit any length-$s$ proof in some proof system $P$. In the corresponding refuter problem, we are given (query access to)…
We give upper and lower bounds on the power of subsystems of the Ideal Proof System (IPS), the algebraic proof system recently proposed by Grochow and Pitassi, where the circuits comprising the proof come from various restricted algebraic…
This article presents a technique for proving problems hard for classes of the polynomial hierarchy or for PSPACE. The rationale of this technique is that some problem restrictions are able to simulate existential or universal quantifiers.…
In this paper we explore fundamental concepts in computational complexity theory and the boundaries of algorithmic decidability. We examine the relationship between complexity classes \textbf{P} and \textbf{NP}, where $L \in \textbf{P}$…
We survey recent progress in the proof complexity of strong proof systems and its connection to algebraic circuit complexity, showing how the synergy between the two gives rise to new approaches to fundamental open questions, solutions to…
A propositional proof system $P$ has the strong feasible disjunction property iff there is a constant $c \geq 1$ such that whenever $P$ admits a size $s$ proof of $\bigvee_i \alpha_i$ with no two $\alpha_i$ sharing an atom then one of…
We introduce a new algebraic proof system, which has tight connections to (algebraic) circuit complexity. In particular, we show that any super-polynomial lower bound on any Boolean tautology in our proof system implies that the permanent…