On structures in hypergraphs of models of a theory

We define and study structural properties of hypergraphs of models of a theory including lattice ones. Characterizations for the lattice properties of hypergraphs of models of a theory, as well as for structures on sets of isomorphism types of models of a theory, are given

The non-unique Universe

The purpose of this paper is to elucidate, by means of concepts and theorems drawn from mathematical logic, the conditions under which the existence of a multiverse is a logical necessity in mathematical physics, and the implications of Godel's incompleteness theorem for theories of everything. Three conclusions are obtained in the final section: (i) the theory of the structure of our universe might be an undecidable theory, and this constitutes a potential epistemological limit for mathematical physics, but because such a theory must be complete, there is no ontological barrier to the existence of a final theory of everything; (ii) in terms of mathematical logic, there are two different types of multiverse: classes of non-isomorphic but elementarily equivalent models, and classes of model which are both non-isomorphic and elementarily inequivalent; (iii) for a hypothetical theory of everything to have only one possible model, and to thereby negate the possible existence of a multiverse, that theory must be such that it admits only a finite model

Model theory of finite-by-Presburger Abelian groups and finite extensions of pp-adic fields

We define a class of pre-ordered abelian groups that we call finite-by-Presburger groups, and prove that their theory is model-complete. We show that certain quotients of the multiplicative group of a local field of characteristic zero are finite-by-Presburger and interpret the higher residue rings of the local field. We apply these results to give a new proof of the model completeness in the ring language of a local field of characteristic zero (a result that follows also from work of Prestel-Roquette)

Taxonomies of Model-theoretically Defined Topological Properties

A topological classification scheme consists of two ingredients: (1) an abstract class K of topological spaces; and (2) a taxonomy , i.e. a list of first order sentences, together with a way of assigning an abstract class of spaces to each sentence of the list so that logically equivalent sentences are assigned the same class.K, is then endowed with an equivalence relation, two spaces belonging to the same equivalence class if and only if they lie in the same classes prescribed by the taxonomy. A space X in K is characterized within the classification scheme if whenever Y E K, and Y is equivalent to X, then Y is homeomorphic to X. As prime example, the closed set taxonomy assigns to each sentence in the first order language of bounded lattices the class of topological spaces whose lattices of closed sets satisfy that sentence. It turns out that every compact two-complex is characterized via this taxonomy in the class of metrizable spaces, but that no infinite discrete space is so characterized. We investigate various natural classification schemes, compare them, and look into the question of which spaces can and cannot be characterized within them

Logic and operator algebras

The most recent wave of applications of logic to operator algebras is a young and rapidly developing field. This is a snapshot of the current state of the art.Comment: A minor chang

Dependent choice, properness, and generic absoluteness

We show that Dependent Choice is a sufficient choice principle for developing the basic theory of proper forcing, and for deriving generic absoluteness for the Chang model in the presence of large cardinals, even with respect to -preserving symmetric submodels of forcing extensions. Hence, not only provides the right framework for developing classical analysis, but is also the right base theory over which to safeguard truth in analysis from the independence phenomenon in the presence of large cardinals. We also investigate some basic consequences of the Proper Forcing Axiom in, and formulate a natural question about the generic absoluteness of the Proper Forcing Axiom in and. Our results confirm as a natural foundation for a significant portion of classical mathematics and provide support to the idea of this theory being also a natural foundation for a large part of set theory