Computable analysis on the space of marked groups

Abstract

We investigate decision problems for groups described by word problem algorithms. This is equivalent to studying groups described by labelled Cayley graphs. We show that this corresponds to the study of computable analysis on the space of marked groups, and point out several results of computable analysis that can be directly applied to obtain group theoretical results. Those results, used in conjunction with the version of Higman's Embedding Theorem that preserves solvability of the word problem, provide powerful tools to build finitely presented groups with solvable word problem but with various undecidable properties. We also investigate the first levels of an effective Borel hierarchy on the space of marked groups, and show that on many group properties usually considered, this effective hierarchy corresponds sharply to the Borel hierarchy. Finally, we prove that the space of marked groups is a Polish space that is not effectively Polish. Because of this, many of the most important results of computable analysis cannot be applied to the space of marked groups. This includes the Kreisel-Lacombe-Schoenfield-Ceitin Theorem and a theorem of Moschovakis. The space of marked groups constitutes the first natural example of a Polish space that is not effectively Polish.Comment: 46 pages, Theorem 4.6 was false as stated, it appears now, having been corrected, as Theorem 5.