Exhaustible sets in higher-type computation

We say that a set is exhaustible if it admits algorithmic universal quantification for continuous predicates in finite time, and searchable if there is an algorithm that, given any continuous predicate, either selects an element for which the predicate holds or else tells there is no example. The Cantor space of infinite sequences of binary digits is known to be searchable. Searchable sets are exhaustible, and we show that the converse also holds for sets of hereditarily total elements in the hierarchy of continuous functionals; moreover, a selection functional can be constructed uniformly from a quantification functional. We prove that searchable sets are closed under intersections with decidable sets, and under the formation of computable images and of finite and countably infinite products. This is related to the fact, established here, that exhaustible sets are topologically compact. We obtain a complete description of exhaustible total sets by developing a computational version of a topological Arzela--Ascoli type characterization of compact subsets of function spaces. We also show that, in the non-empty case, they are precisely the computable images of the Cantor space. The emphasis of this paper is on the theory of exhaustible and searchable sets, but we also briefly sketch applications

Finitely Generated Groups Are Universal

Universality has been an important concept in computable structure theory. A class $\mathcal{C}$ of structures is universal if, informally, for any structure, of any kind, there is a structure in $\mathcal{C}$ with the same computability-theoretic properties as the given structure. Many classes such as graphs, groups, and fields are known to be universal. This paper is about the class of finitely generated groups. Because finitely generated structures are relatively simple, the class of finitely generated groups has no hope of being universal. We show that finitely generated groups are as universal as possible, given that they are finitely generated: for every finitely generated structure, there is a finitely generated group which has the same computability-theoretic properties. The same is not true for finitely generated fields. We apply the results of this investigation to quasi Scott sentences

Computability Theory

Computability and computable enumerability are two of the fundamental notions of mathematics. Interest in effectiveness is already apparent in the famous Hilbert problems, in particular the second and tenth, and in early 20th century work of Dehn, initiating the study of word problems in group theory. The last decade has seen both completely new subareas develop as well as remarkable growth in two-way interactions between classical computability theory and areas of applications. There is also a great deal of work on algorithmic randomness, reverse mathematics, computable analysis, and in computable structure theory/computable model theory. The goal of this workshop is to bring together researchers representing different aspects of computability theory to discuss recent advances, and to stimulate future work

Computability and analysis: the legacy of Alan Turing

We discuss the legacy of Alan Turing and his impact on computability and analysis.Comment: 49 page