English

Friedman's $ \mathsf{WD} $ is not parameter-free sequential

Logic 2025-09-18 v1

Abstract

Harvey Friedman's WD \mathsf{WD} is a weak set theory given by the following non-logical axioms: (W)  xyzu[uz(ux    u=y)] \mathsf{(W)} \; \forall x y \, \exists z \, \forall u \left[ \, u \in z \leftrightarrow ( \, u \in x \; \vee \; u = y \, ) \, \right] ; (D)  xyzu[uz(ux    uy)] \mathsf{(D)} \; \forall x y \, \exists z \, \forall u \, \left[ \, u \in z \leftrightarrow ( \, u \in x \; \wedge \; u \neq y \, ) \, \right] . We answer a question raised by Albert Visser which asks whether WD \mathsf{WD} is parameter-free sequential. Let WD+EXT \mathsf{WD} + \mathsf{EXT} denote the theory we obtain by extending WD \mathsf{WD} with the axiom of extensionality. We show that WD+EXT \mathsf{WD} + \mathsf{EXT} , and hence also WD \mathsf{WD} , is not parameter-free sequential by using forcing to construct a model V \mathcal{V}^{ \star } of WD+EXT \mathsf{WD} + \mathsf{EXT} where (V,a)(V,b) \left( \mathcal{V}^{ \star } , a \right) \simeq \left( \mathcal{V}^{ \star } , b \right) for any two elements a,ba, b of V \mathcal{V}^{ \star } .

Cite

@article{arxiv.2509.14222,
  title  = {Friedman's $ \mathsf{WD} $ is not parameter-free sequential},
  author = {Juvenal Murwanashyaka},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2509.14222},
  year   = {2025}
}
R2 v1 2026-07-01T05:42:27.331Z