We introduce the definability strength of combinatorial principles. In terms of definability strength, a combinatorial principle is strong if solving a corresponding combinatorial problem could help in simplifying the definition of a definable set. We prove that some consequences of Ramsey’s Theorem for colorings of pairs could help in simplifying the definitions of some ${\rm{\Delta }}_2^0$ sets, while some others could not. We also investigate some consequences of Ramsey’s Theorem for colorings of longer tuples. These results of definability strength have some interesting consequences in reverse mathematics, including strengthening of known theorems in a more uniform way and also new theorems.

We extend results of Bonet, Buss and Pitassi on Bondy’s Theorem and of Nozaki, Arai and Arai on Bollobás’ Theorem by proving that Frankl’s Theorem on the trace of sets has quasipolynomial size Frege proofs. For constant values of the parameter t, we prove that Frankl’s Theorem has polynomial size AC0-Frege proofs from instances of the pigeonhole principle.

Let M be a transitive model of ZFC. We say that a transitive model of ZFC, N, is an outer model of M if M ⊆ N and ORD ∩ M = ORD ∩ N. The outer model theory of M is the collection of all formulas with parameters from M which hold in all outer models of M (which exist in a universe in which M is countable; this is independent of the choice of such a universe). Satisfaction defined with respect to outer models can be seen as a useful strengthening of first-order logic. Starting from an inaccessible cardinal κ, we show that it is consistent to have a transitive model M of ZFC of size κ in which the outer model theory is lightface definable, and moreover M satisfies V = HOD. The proof combines the infinitary logic L∞,ω, Barwise’s results on admissible sets, and a new forcing iteration of length strictly less than κ+ which manipulates the continuum function on certain regular cardinals below κ. In the appendix, we review some unpublished results of Mack Stanley which are directly related to our topic.

We introduce stable canonical rules and prove that each normal modal multi-conclusion consequence relation is axiomatizable by stable canonical rules. We apply these results to construct finite refutation patterns for modal formulas, and prove that each normal modal logic is axiomatizable by stable canonical rules. We also define stable multi-conclusion consequence relations and stable logics and prove that these systems have the finite model property. We conclude the paper with a number of examples of stable and nonstable systems, and show how to axiomatize them.

Let $B$ be a complete Boolean algebra. We show that if λ is an infinite cardinal and $B$ is weakly (λω, ω)-distributive, then $B$ is (λ, 2)-distributive. Using a similar argument, we show that if κ is a weakly compact cardinal such that $B$ is weakly (2κ, κ)-distributive and $B$ is (α, 2)-distributive for each α < κ, then $B$ is (κ, 2)-distributive.

M. Beiglböck, V. Bergelson, and A. Fish proved that if G is a countable amenable group and A and B are subsets of G with positive Banach density, then the product set AB is piecewise syndetic. This means that there is a finite subset E of G such that EAB is thick, that is, EAB contains translates of any finite subset of G. When G = ℤ, this was first proven by R. Jin. We prove a quantitative version of the aforementioned result by providing a lower bound on the density (with respect to a Følner sequence) of the set of witnesses to the thickness of EAB. When G = ℤd , this result was first proven by the current set of authors using completely different techniques.

Using properties of ${\cal K}$-pairs of sets, we show that every nonzero enumeration degree a bounds a nontrivial initial segment of enumeration degrees whose nonzero elements have all the same jump as a. Some consequences of this fact are derived, that hold in the local structure of the enumeration degrees, including: There is an initial segment of enumeration degrees, whose nonzero elements are all high; there is a nonsplitting high enumeration degree; every noncappable enumeration degree is high; every nonzero low enumeration degree can be capped by degrees of any possible local jump (i.e., any jump that can be realized by enumeration degrees of the local structure); every enumeration degree that bounds a nonzero element of strictly smaller jump, is bounding; every low enumeration degree below a non low enumeration degree a can be capped below a.

The Stone representation theorem was a milestone for the understanding of Boolean algebras. From Stone’s theorem, every Boolean algebra is representable as a field of sets with a topological structure. By means of this, the structural elements of any Boolean algebra, as well as the relations between them, are represented geometrically and can be clearly visualized. It is no different for cylindric algebras: Suppose that ${\frak A}$ is a cylindric algebra and ${\cal S}$ is the Stone space of its Boolean part. (Among the elements of the Boolean part are the diagonal elements.) It is known that with nothing more than a family of equivalence relations on ${\cal S}$ to represent quantifiers, ${\cal S}$ represents the full cylindric structure just as the Stone space alone represents the Boolean structure. ${\cal S}$ with this structure is called a cylindric space.

Many assertions about cylindric algebras can be stated in terms of elementary topological properties of ${\cal S}$. Moreover, points of ${\cal S}$ may be construed as models, and on that construal ${\cal S}$ is called a model space. Certain relations between points on this space turn out to be morphisms between models, and the space of models with these relations hints at the possibility of an “abstract” model theory. With these ideas, a point-set version of model theory is proposed, in the spirit of pointless topology or category theory, in which the central insight is to treat the semantic objects (models) homologously with the corresponding syntactic objects so they reside together in the same space.

It is shown that there is a new, purely algebraic way of introducing constants in cylindric algebras, leading to a simplified proof of the representation theorem for locally finite cylindric algebras. Simple rich algebras emerge as homomorphic images of cylindric algebras. The topological version of this theorem is especially interesting: The Stone space of every locally finite cylindric algebra ${\frak A}$ can be partitioned into subspaces which are the Stone spaces of all the simple rich homomorphic images of ${\frak A}$. Each of these images completely determines a model of ${\frak A}$, and all denumerable models of ${\frak A}$ appear in this representation.

The Stone space ${\cal S}$ of every cylindric algebra can likewise be partitioned into closed sets which are duals of all the types in ${\frak A}$. This fact yields new insights into miscellaneous results in the model theory of saturated models.

We generalise the main theorems from the paper “The Borel cardinality of Lascar strong types” by I. Kaplan, B. Miller and P. Simon to a wider class of bounded invariant equivalence relations. We apply them to describe relationships between fundamental properties of bounded invariant equivalence relations (such as smoothness or type-definability) which also requires finding a series of counterexamples. Finally, we apply the generalisation mentioned above to prove a conjecture from a paper by the first author and J. Gismatullin, showing that the key technical assumption of the main theorem (concerning connected components in definable group extensions) from that paper is not only sufficient but also necessary to obtain the conclusion.

A major theme in arithmetic combinatorics is proving multiple recurrence results on semigroups (such as Szemerédi’s theorem) and this can often be done using methods of ergodic Ramsey theory. What usually lies at the heart of such proofs is that, for actions of semigroups, a certain kind of one recurrence (mixing along a filter) amplifies itself to multiple recurrence. This amplification is proved using a so-called van der Corput difference lemma for a suitable filter on the semigroup. Particular instances of this lemma (for concrete filters) have been proven before (by Furstenberg, Bergelson–McCutcheon, and others), with a somewhat different proof in each case. We define a notion of differentiation for subsets of semigroups and isolate the class of filters that respect this notion. The filters in this class (call them ∂-filters) include all those for which the van der Corput lemma was known, and our main result is a van der Corput lemma for ∂-filters, which thus generalizes all its previous instances. This is done via proving a Ramsey theorem for graphs on the semigroup with edges between the semigroup elements labeled by their ratios.

Answering a question of Junker and Ziegler, we construct a countable first order structure which is not ω-categorical, but does not have any proper nontrivial reducts, in either of two senses (model-theoretic, and group-theoretic). We also construct a strongly minimal set which is not ω-categorical but has no proper nontrivial reducts in the model-theoretic sense.

Schweber [10] defined a reducibility that allows us to compare the computing power of structures of arbitrary cardinality. Here we focus on the ordered field ${\cal R}$ of real numbers and a structure ${\cal W}$ that just codes the subsets of ω. In [10], it was observed that ${\cal W}$ is reducible to ${\cal R}$. We prove that ${\cal R}$ is not reducible to ${\cal W}$. As part of the proof, we show that for a countable recursively saturated real closed field ${\cal P}$ with residue field k, some copy of ${\cal P}$ does not compute a copy of k.

The paper proves a conjecture of Solomon Feferman concerning the indefiniteness of the continuum hypothesis relative to a semi-intuitionistic set theory.

We prove that any tame abstract elementary class categorical in a suitable cardinal has an eventually global good frame: a forking-like notion defined on all types of single elements. This gives the first known general construction of a good frame in ZFC. We show that we already obtain a well-behaved independence relation assuming only a superstability-like hypothesis instead of categoricity. These methods are applied to obtain an upward stability transfer theorem from categoricity and tameness, as well as new conditions for uniqueness of limit models.

We realize the Jiang-Su algebra, all UHF algebras, and the hyperfinite II1 factor as Fraïssé limits of suitable classes of structures. Moreover by means of Fraïssé theory we provide new examples of AF algebras with strong homogeneity properties. As a consequence of our analysis we deduce Ramsey-theoretic results about the class of full-matrix algebras.

Ramsey’s Theorem is naturally connected to the statement “every infinite partially ordered set has either an infinite chain or an infinite anti-chain”. Indeed, it is a well-known result that Ramsey’s Theorem implies the latter principle.

In the book “Consequences of the Axiom of Choice” by P. Howard and J. E. Rubin, it is stated as unknown whether the above implication is reversible, that is whether the principle “every infinite partially ordered set has either an infinite chain or an infinite anti-chain” implies Ramsey’s Theorem. The purpose of this paper is to settle the aforementioned open problem. In particular, we construct a suitable Fraenkel–Mostowski permutation model ${\cal N}$ for ZFA and prove that the above principle for infinite partially ordered sets is true in ${\cal N}$, whereas Ramsey’s Theorem is false in ${\cal N}$. Then, based on the existence of ${\cal N}$ and on results of D. Pincus, we show that there is a model of ZF which satisfies “every infinite partially ordered set has either an infinite chain or an infinite anti-chain” and the negation of Ramsey’s Theorem.

In addition, we prove that Ramsey’s Theorem (hence, the above principle for infinite partially ordered sets) is true in Mostowski’s linearly ordered model, filling the gap of information in the book “Consequences of the Axiom of Choice”.

We show that the class of ${\cal L}$-constructible functions is closed under integration for any P-minimal expansion of a p-adic field $\left( {K,{\cal L}} \right)$. This generalizes results previously known for semi-algebraic and subanalytic structures. As part of the proof, we obtain a weak version of cell decomposition and function preparation for P-minimal structures, a result which is independent of the existence of Skolem functions. A direct corollary is that Denef’s results on the rationality of Poincaré series hold in any P-minimal expansion of a p-adic field $\left( {K,{\cal L}} \right)$.

We prove that the standard cut is definable in each existentially closed model of IΔ0 + exp by a (parameter free) П1–formula. This definition is optimal with respect to quantifier complexity and allows us to improve some previously known results on existentially closed models of fragments of arithmetic.