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An elementary definability theorem for first order logic

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 March 2014

C. Butz
Affiliation:
Brics, Computer Science Department, Aarhus University, NY Munkegade, Building 540, DK-8000 Århus C, Denmark E-mail: [email protected]
I. Moerdijk
Affiliation:
Mathematisch Instituut, Universiteit Utrecht, Postbus 80.010, NL-3508 TA Utrecht, The, Netherlands E-mail: [email protected]

Extract

In this paper, we will present a definability theorem for first order logic. This theorem is very easy to state, and its proof only uses elementary tools. To explain the theorem, let us first observe that if M is a model of a theory T in a language , then, clearly, any definable subset SM (i.e., a subset S = {aM ⊨ φ(a)} defined by some formula φ) is invariant under all automorphisms of M. The same is of course true for subsets of Mn defined by formulas with n free variables.

Our theorem states that, if one allows Boolean valued models, the converse holds. More precisely, for any theory T we will construct a Boolean valued model M, in which precisely the T -provable formulas hold, and in which every (Boolean valued) subset which is invariant under all automorphisms of M is definable by a formula .

Our presentation is entirely selfcontained, and only requires familiarity with the most elementary properties of model theory. In particular, we have added a first section in which we review the basic definitions concerning Boolean valued models.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Association for Symbolic Logic 1999

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References

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