Incompleteness via paradox and completeness

This paper explores the relationship borne by the traditional paradoxes of set theory and semantics to formal incompleteness phenomena. A central tool is the application of the Arithmetized Completeness Theorem to systems of second-order arithmetic and set theory in which various “paradoxical notions” for first-order languages can be formalized. I will first discuss the setting in which this result was originally presented by Hilbert & Bernays (1939) and also how it was later adapted by Kreisel (1950) andWang (1955) in order to obtain formal undecidability results. A generalization of this method will then be presented whereby Russell’s paradox, a variant of Mirimano’s paradox, the Liar, and the Grelling-Nelson paradox may be uniformly transformed into incompleteness theorems. Some additional observations are then framed relating these results to the unification of the set theoretic and semantic paradoxes, the intensionality of arithmetization (in the sense of Feferman, 1960), and axiomatic theories of truth

k-Provability in PA

We study the decidability of k-provability in PA —the relation ‘being provable in PA with at most k steps’—and the decidability of the proof-skeleton problem—the problem of deciding if a given formula has a proof that has a given skeleton (the list of axioms and rules that were used). The decidability of k-provability for the usual Hilbert-style formalisation of PA is still an open problem, but it is known that the proof-skeleton problem is undecidable for that theory. Using new methods, we present a characterisation of some numbers k for which k-provability is decidable, and we present a characterisation of some proof-skeletons for which one can decide whether a formula has a proof whose skeleton is the considered one. These characterisations are natural and parameterised by unification algorithms.publishersversionpublishe

HORNLOG: A graph-based interpreter for general Horn clauses

AbstractThis paper presents hornlog, a general Horn-clause proof procedure that can be used to interpret logic programs. The system is based on a form of graph rewriting, and on the linear-time algorithm for testing the unsatisfiability of propositional Horn formulae given by Dowling and Gallier [8]. hornlog applies to a class of logic programs which is a proper superset of the class of logic programs handled by PROLOG systems. In particular, negative Horn clauses used as assertions and queries consisting of disjunctions of negations of Horn clauses are allowed. This class of logic programs admits answers which are indefinite, in the sense that an answer can consist of a disjunction of substitutions. The method does not use the negation-by- failure semantics [6] in handling these extensions and appears to have an immediate parallel interpretation

On Notions of Provability

In this thesis, we study notions of provability, i.e. formulas B(x,y) such that a formula ϕ is provable in T if, and only if, there is m ∈ N such that T ⊢ B(⌜ϕ⌝,m) (m plays the role of a parameter); the usual notion of provability, k-step provability (also known as k-provability), s-symbols provability are examples of notions of provability. We develop general results concerning notions of provability, but we also study in detail concrete notions. We present partial results concerning the decidability of kprovability for Peano Arithmetic (PA), and we study important problems concerning k-provability, such as Kreisel’s Conjecture and Montagna’s Problem: (∀n ∈ N.T ⊢k steps ϕ(n)) =⇒ T ⊢ ∀x.ϕ(x), [Kreisel’s Conjecture] and Does PA ⊢k steps PrPA(⌜ϕ⌝)→ϕ imply PA ⊢k steps ϕ? [Montagna’s Problem] Incompleteness, Undefinability of Truth, and Recursion are different entities that share important features; we study this in detail and we trace these entities to common results. We present numeral forms of completeness and consistency, numeral completeness and numeral consistency, respectively; numeral completeness guarantees that, whenever a Σb 1(S12 )-formula ϕ(⃗x ) is such that ⃗Q ⃗x .ϕ(⃗x ) is true (where ⃗Q is any array of quantifiers), then this very fact can be proved inside S12 , more precisely S12 ⊢ ⃗Q ⃗x .Prτ (⌜ϕ( •⃗ x )⌝). We examine these two results from a mathematical point of view by presenting the minimal conditions to state them and by finding consequences of them, and from a philosophical point of view by relating them to Hilbert’s Program. The derivability condition “provability implies provable provability” is one of the main derivability conditions used to derive the Second Incompleteness Theorem and is known to be very sensitive to the underlying theory one has at hand. We create a weak theory G2 to study this condition; this is a theory for the complexity class FLINSPACE. We also relate properties of G2 to equality between computational classes.O tema desta tese são noções de demonstração; estas últimas são fórmulas B(x,y) tais que uma fórmula ϕ é demonstrável em T se, e só se, existe m ∈ N tal que T ⊢ B(⌜ϕ⌝,m) (m desempenha o papel de um parâmetro). A noção usual de demonstração, demonstração em k-linhas (demonstração-k), demonstração em s-símbolos são exemplos de noções de demonstração. Desenvolvemos resultados gerais sobre noções de demonstração, mas também estudamos exemplos concretos. Damos a conhecer resultados parciais sobre a decidibilidade da demonstração-k para a Aritmética de Peano (PA), e estudamos dois problemas conhecidos desta área, a Conjectura de Kreisel e o Problema de Montagna: (∀n ∈ N.T ⊢k steps ϕ(n)) =⇒ T ⊢ ∀x.ϕ(x), [Conjectura de Kreisel] e PA ⊢k steps PrPA(⌜ϕ⌝)→ϕ implica PA ⊢k steps ϕ? [Problema de Montagna] A Incompletude, a Incapacidade de Definir Verdade, e Recursão são entidades que têm em comum características relevantes; nós estudamos estas entidades em detalhe e apresentamos resultados que são simultaneamente responsáveis pelas mesmas. Além disso, apresentamos formas numerais de completude e consistência, a completude numeral e a consistência numeral, respectivamente; a completude numeral assegura que, quando uma fórmula-Σb 1(S12) ϕ(⃗x ) é tal que ⃗Q ⃗x .ϕ(⃗x ) é verdadeira, então este facto pode ser verificado dentro de S12, mais precisamente S12 ⊢ ⃗Q ⃗x .Prτ (⌜ϕ( •⃗ x )⌝). Este dois resultados são analisados de um ponto de vista matemático onde apresentamos as condições mínimas para os demonstrar e apresentamos consequências dos mesmos, e de um ponto de vista filosófico, onde relacionamos os mesmos com o Programa de Hilbert. A condição de derivabilidade “demonstração implica demonstrabilidade da demonstração” é uma das condições usadas para derivar o Segundo Teorema da Incompletude e sabemos ser muito sensível à teoria de base escolhida. Nós criámos uma teoria fraca G2 para estudar esta condição; esta é uma teoria para a classe de complexidade FLINSPACE. Também relacionámos propriedades de G2 com igualdades entre classes de complexidade computacional

Robust Computer Algebra, Theorem Proving, and Oracle AI

In the context of superintelligent AI systems, the term "oracle" has two meanings. One refers to modular systems queried for domain-specific tasks. Another usage, referring to a class of systems which may be useful for addressing the value alignment and AI control problems, is a superintelligent AI system that only answers questions. The aim of this manuscript is to survey contemporary research problems related to oracles which align with long-term research goals of AI safety. We examine existing question answering systems and argue that their high degree of architectural heterogeneity makes them poor candidates for rigorous analysis as oracles. On the other hand, we identify computer algebra systems (CASs) as being primitive examples of domain-specific oracles for mathematics and argue that efforts to integrate computer algebra systems with theorem provers, systems which have largely been developed independent of one another, provide a concrete set of problems related to the notion of provable safety that has emerged in the AI safety community. We review approaches to interfacing CASs with theorem provers, describe well-defined architectural deficiencies that have been identified with CASs, and suggest possible lines of research and practical software projects for scientists interested in AI safety.Comment: 15 pages, 3 figure