Hostname: page-component-7b7567c8c-2n9c9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-11-14T11:53:53.684Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

On n-quantifier induction

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 March 2014

Charles Parsons*
Affiliation:
Columbia University, New York, New York 10027

Extract

In this paper we discuss subsystems of number theory based on restrictions on induction in terms of quantifiers, and we show that all the natural formulations of ‘n-quantifier induction’ are reducible to one of two (for n ≠ 0) nonequivalent normal forms: the axiom of induction restricted to (or, equivalently, ) formulae and the rule of induction restricted to formulae.

Let Z0 be classical elementary number theory with a symbol and defining equations for each Kalmar elementary function, and the rule of induction

restricted to quantifier-free formulae. Given the schema

let IAn be the restriction of IA to formulae of Z0 with ≤n nested quantifiers, IAn′ to formulae with ≤n nested quantifiers, disregarding bounded quantifiers, the restriction to formulae, the restriction to , formulae. IRn, IRn′, , are analogous.

Then, we show that, for every n, , , IAn, and IAn′, are all equivalent modulo Z0. The corresponding statement does not hold for IR. We show that, if n ≠ 0, is reducible to ; evidently IRn is reducible to . On the other hand, IRn′ is obviously equivalent to IAn′ [10, Lemma 2].

Information

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Association for Symbolic Logic 1972

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable