An Example of Pi^0_3-complete Infinitary Rational Relation

We give in this paper an example of infinitary rational relation, accepted by a 2-tape B\"{u}chi automaton, which is Pi^0_3-complete in the Borel hierarchy. Moreover the example of infinitary rational relation given in this paper has a very simple structure and can be easily described by its sections

Finitary and Infinitary Mathematics, the Possibility of Possibilities and the Definition of Probabilities

Some relations between physics and finitary and infinitary mathematics are explored in the context of a many-minds interpretation of quantum theory. The analogy between mathematical ``existence'' and physical ``existence'' is considered from the point of view of philosophical idealism. Some of the ways in which infinitary mathematics arises in modern mathematical physics are discussed. Empirical science has led to the mathematics of quantum theory. This in turn can be taken to suggest a picture of reality involving possible minds and the physical laws which determine their probabilities. In this picture, finitary and infinitary mathematics play separate roles. It is argued that mind, language, and finitary mathematics have similar prerequisites, in that each depends on the possibility of possibilities. The infinite, on the other hand, can be described but never experienced, and yet it seems that sets of possibilities and the physical laws which define their probabilities can be described most simply in terms of infinitary mathematics.Comment: 21 pages, plain TeX, related papers from http://www.poco.phy.cam.ac.uk/~mjd101

On the Accepting Power of 2-Tape Büchi Automata

International audienceWe show that, from a topological point of view, 2-tape Büchi automata have the same accepting power than Turing machines equipped with a Büchi acceptance condition. In particular, we show that for every non null recursive ordinal alpha, there exist some Sigma^0_alpha-complete and some Pi^0_alpha-complete infinitary rational relations accepted by 2-tape Büchi automata. This very surprising result gives answers to questions of W. Thomas [Automata and Quantifier Hierarchies, in: Formal Properties of Finite automata and Applications, Ramatuelle, 1988, LNCS 386, Springer, 1989, p.104-119] , of P. Simonnet [Automates et Théorie Descriptive, Ph. D. Thesis, Université Paris 7, March 1992], and of H. Lescow and W. Thomas [Logical Specifications of Infinite Computations, In: "A Decade of Concurrency", LNCS 803, Springer, 1994, p. 583-621]

Some Problems in Automata Theory Which Depend on the Models of Set Theory

We prove that some fairly basic questions on automata reading infinite words depend on the models of the axiomatic system ZFC. It is known that there are only three possibilities for the cardinality of the complement of an omega-language $L(A)$ accepted by a B\"uchi 1-counter automaton $A$. We prove the following surprising result: there exists a 1-counter B\"uchi automaton $A$ such that the cardinality of the complement $L(A)^-$ of the omega-language $L(A)$ is not determined by ZFC: (1). There is a model $V_1$ of ZFC in which $L(A)^-$ is countable. (2). There is a model $V_2$ of ZFC in which $L(A)^-$ has cardinal $2^{\aleph_0}$. (3). There is a model $V_3$ of ZFC in which $L(A)^-$ has cardinal $\aleph_1$ with $\aleph_0<\aleph_1<2^{\aleph_0}$. We prove a very similar result for the complement of an infinitary rational relation accepted by a 2-tape B\"uchi automaton $B$. As a corollary, this proves that the Continuum Hypothesis may be not satisfied for complements of 1-counter omega-languages and for complements of infinitary rational relations accepted by 2-tape B\"uchi automata. We infer from the proof of the above results that basic decision problems about 1-counter omega-languages or infinitary rational relations are actually located at the third level of the analytical hierarchy. In particular, the problem to determine whether the complement of a 1-counter omega-language (respectively, infinitary rational relation) is countable is in $\Sigma_3^1 \setminus (\Pi_2^1 \cup \Sigma_2^1)$. This is rather surprising if compared to the fact that it is decidable whether an infinitary rational relation is countable (respectively, uncountable).Comment: To appear in the journal RAIRO-Theoretical Informatics and Application

On the Continuity Set of an omega Rational Function

In this paper, we study the continuity of rational functions realized by B\"uchi finite state transducers. It has been shown by Prieur that it can be decided whether such a function is continuous. We prove here that surprisingly, it cannot be decided whether such a function F has at least one point of continuity and that its continuity set C(F) cannot be computed. In the case of a synchronous rational function, we show that its continuity set is rational and that it can be computed. Furthermore we prove that any rational Pi^0_2-subset of X^omega for some alphabet X is the continuity set C(F) of an omega-rational synchronous function F defined on X^omega.Comment: Dedicated to Serge Grigorieff on the occasion of his 60th Birthda