Chain models, trees of singular cardinality and dynamic EF games

Let κ be a singular cardinal. Karp's notion of a chain model of size ? is defined to be an ordinary model of size κ along with a decomposition of it into an increasing union of length cf(κ). With a notion of satisfaction and (chain)-isomorphism such models give an infinitary logic largely mimicking first order logic. In this paper we associate to this logic a notion of a dynamic EF-game which gauges when two chain models are chain-isomorphic. To this game is associated a tree which is a tree of size κ with no κ-branches (even no cf(κ)-branches). The measure of how non-isomorphic the models are is reflected by a certain order on these trees, called reduction. We study the collection of trees of size κ with no κ-branches under this notion and prove that when cf(κ) = ω this collection is rather regular; in particular it has universality number exactly κ+. Such trees are then used to develop a descriptive set theory of the space cf(κ)κ.The main result of the paper gives in the case of κ strong limit singular an exact connection between the descriptive set-theoretic complexity of the chain isomorphism orbit of a model, the reduction order on the trees and winning strategies in the corresponding dynamic EF games. In particular we obtain a neat analog of the notion of Scott watershed from the Scott analysis of countable models

Interpolation Is (Not Always) Easy to Spoil

We study a version of the Craig interpolation theorem as formulated in the framework of the theory of institutions. This formulation proved crucial in the development of a number of key results concerning foundations of software specification and formal development. We investigate preservation of interpolation under extensions of institutions by new models and sentences. We point out that some interpolation properties remain stable under such extensions, even if quite arbitrary new models or sentences are permitted. We give complete characterisations of such situations for institution extensions by new models, by new sentences, as well as by new models and sentences, respectively

Craig Interpolation for Decidable First-Order Fragments

We show that the guarded-negation fragment (GNFO) is, in a precise sense, the smallest extension of the guarded fragment (GFO) with Craig interpolation. In contrast, we show that the smallest extension of the two-variable fragment (FO2), and of the forward fragment (FF) with Craig interpolation, is full first-order logic. Similarly, we also show that all extensions of FO2 and of the fluted fragment (FL) with Craig interpolation are undecidable.Comment: Submitted for FoSSaCS 2024. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:2304.0808

The Craig interpolation theorem in abstract model theory

Abstract The Craig Interpolation Theorem is intimately connected with the emergence of abstract logic and continues to be the driving force of the field. I will model theory for identifying “natural, ” robust extensions of first order logic. My argument is supported by the observation that logics which satisfy the interpolation property usually also satisfy a Lindström type maximality theorem. Admittedly, the range of such logics is small