Skolem Functions in Non-Classical Logics

This paper shows how to conservatively extend theories formulated in non-classical logics such as the Logic of Paradox, the Strong Kleene Logic and relevant logics with Skolem functions. Translations to and from the language extended by Skolem functions into the original one are presented and shown to preserve derivability. It is also shown that one may not always substitute s=f(t) and A(t, s) even though A(x,y) determines the extension of a function and f is a Skolem function for A.

Countable unions of simple sets in the core model

We follow [8] in asking when a set of ordinals X ⊆ α is a countable union of sets in K, the core model. We show that, analogously to L, an X closed under the canonical Σ1 Skolem function for Kα can be so decomposed provided K is such that no ω-closed filters are put on its measure sequence, but not otherwise. This proviso holds if there is no inner model of a weak Erdős-type property.

Skolem functions and elementary embeddings

Let L be an elementary first order language. Let be an L-structure, and let φ be an L-formula with free variables u1, …, un, and υ. A Skolem function for φ on is an n-ary operation f on such that for all . If is an elementary substructure of , then an n-ary operation f on is said to preserve the elementary embedding of into if f(x)∈ for all x ∈ n, and (, f ∣n) ≺ (, f). Keisler asked the following question:Problem 1. If and are L-structures such that ≺ , and if φ (u, υ) is an L-formula (with appropriate free variables), must there be a Skolem function for φ on which preserves the elementary embedding?Payne [6] gave a counterexample in which the language L is uncountable. In [3], [5], the author announced the existence of an example in which L is countable but the structures and are uncountable. The construction of the example will be given in this paper. Keisler's problem is still open in case both the language and the structures are required to be countable. Positive results for some special cases are given in [4].The following variant of Keisler's question was brought to the author's attention by Peter Winkler:Problem 2. If L is a countable language, a countable L-structure, and φ(u, υ) an L-formula, must there be a Skolem function f for φ on such that for every countable elementary extension of , there is an extension of f which preserves the elementary embedding of into ?

Generic expansions of structures

In this paper, Cohen's forcing technique is applied to some problems in model theory. Forcing has been used as a model-theoretic technique by several people, in particular, by A. Robinson in a series of papers [1], [10], [11]. Here forcing will be used to expand a family of structures in such a way that weak second-order embeddings are preserved. The forcing situation resembles that in Solovay's proof that for any theorem φ of GB (Godel-Bernays set theory with a strong form of the axiom of choice), if φ does not mention classes, then it is already a theorem of ZFC. (See [3, p. 105] and [2, p. 77].)The first application of forcing here is to the problem (posed by Keisler) of when is it possible to add a Skolem function to a pair of structures, one of which is an elementary substructure of the other, in such a way that the elementary embedding is preserved.It is not always possible to find such a Skolem function. Payne [9] found an example involving countable structures with uncountably many relations. The author [4], [6] found an example involving uncountable structures with only two relations. The problem remains open in case the structures are required both to be countable and to have countable type. Forcing is used to obtain a positive result under some special conditions.