529 research outputs found
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 Hilberg's Law and Its Links with Guiraud's Law
Hilberg (1990) supposed that finite-order excess entropy of a random human
text is proportional to the square root of the text length. Assuming that
Hilberg's hypothesis is true, we derive Guiraud's law, which states that the
number of word types in a text is greater than proportional to the square root
of the text length. Our derivation is based on some mathematical conjecture in
coding theory and on several experiments suggesting that words can be defined
approximately as the nonterminals of the shortest context-free grammar for the
text. Such operational definition of words can be applied even to texts
deprived of spaces, which do not allow for Mandelbrot's ``intermittent
silence'' explanation of Zipf's and Guiraud's laws. In contrast to
Mandelbrot's, our model assumes some probabilistic long-memory effects in human
narration and might be capable of explaining Menzerath's law.Comment: To appear in Journal of Quantitative Linguistic
Infinitary Classical Logic: Recursive Equations and Interactive Semantics
In this paper, we present an interactive semantics for derivations in an
infinitary extension of classical logic. The formulas of our language are
possibly infinitary trees labeled by propositional variables and logical
connectives. We show that in our setting every recursive formula equation has a
unique solution. As for derivations, we use an infinitary variant of
Tait-calculus to derive sequents. The interactive semantics for derivations
that we introduce in this article is presented as a debate (interaction tree)
between a test > (derivation candidate, Proponent) and an environment <<
not S >> (negation of a sequent, Opponent). We show a completeness theorem for
derivations that we call interactive completeness theorem: the interaction
between > (test) and > (environment) does not produce errors
(i.e., Proponent wins) just in case > comes from a syntactical derivation
of >.Comment: In Proceedings CL&C 2014, arXiv:1409.259
Stone duality above dimension zero: Axiomatising the algebraic theory of C(X)
It has been known since the work of Duskin and Pelletier four decades ago
that KH^op, the category opposite to compact Hausdorff spaces and continuous
maps, is monadic over the category of sets. It follows that KH^op is equivalent
to a possibly infinitary variety of algebras V in the sense of Slominski and
Linton. Isbell showed in 1982 that the Lawvere-Linton algebraic theory of V can
be generated using a finite number of finitary operations, together with a
single operation of countably infinite arity. In 1983, Banaschewski and Rosicky
independently proved a conjecture of Bankston, establishing a strong negative
result on the axiomatisability of KH^op. In particular, V is not a finitary
variety--Isbell's result is best possible. The problem of axiomatising V by
equations has remained open. Using the theory of Chang's MV-algebras as a key
tool, along with Isbell's fundamental insight on the semantic nature of the
infinitary operation, we provide a finite axiomatisation of V.Comment: 26 pages. Presentation improve
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