A longstanding open problem is whether there exists a non-syntactical model
of untyped lambda-calculus whose theory is exactly the least equational
lambda-theory (=Lb). In this paper we make use of the Visser topology for
investigating the more general question of whether the equational (resp. order)
theory of a non syntactical model M, say Eq(M) (resp. Ord(M)) can be
recursively enumerable (= r.e. below). We conjecture that no such model exists
and prove the conjecture for several large classes of models. In particular we
introduce a notion of effective lambda-model and show that for all effective
models M, Eq(M) is different from Lb, and Ord(M) is not r.e. If moreover M
belongs to the stable or strongly stable semantics, then Eq(M) is not r.e.
Concerning Scott's continuous semantics we explore the class of (all) graph
models, show that it satisfies Lowenheim Skolem theorem, that there exists a
minimum order/equational graph theory, and that both are the order/equ theories
of an effective graph model. We deduce that no graph model can have an r.e.
order theory, and also show that for some large subclasses, the same is true
for Eq(M).Comment: 15 pages, accepted CSL'0
