User:IssaRice/Computability and logic/Expresses versus captures

From Machinelearning

The expresses versus captures distinction is an important one in mathematical logic, but unfortunately the terminology differs wildly between different texts. The following table gives a comparison.

  • Expressing is done by a language. There is only one form of expressing; I think this follows from the wikipedia:Law of excluded middle.
  • Capturing is done by a theory or by axioms. There are two forms of capturing: strong capture (corresponding to deciding), and weak capture (corresponding to recognizing, or semi-deciding).

Capturing functions

For functions, it seems like there are at least four different strengths.

  1. f is captured by ϕ(x,y) iff for all m,n (i) if f(m)=n then Tϕ(m¯,n¯) and (ii) Ty(ϕ(m¯,y)v(ϕ(m¯,v)v=y)).[1]
  2. f is captured by ϕ(x,y) iff for all m,n, if f(m)=n, then Ty(ϕ(m¯,y)y=n¯).[1]
  3. f is captured by ϕ(x,y) iff for all m,n (i) if f(m)=n then Tϕ(m¯,n¯), and (ii) if f(m)n then T¬ϕ(m¯,n¯).[1]
  4. f is captured by ϕ(x,y) iff (i) for all m,n, if f(m)=n then Tϕ(m¯,n¯), and (ii) we have Txy(ϕ(x,y)v(ϕ(x,v)v=y)).[1]
  5. f is captured by ϕ(x,y) iff for all m,n (i) if f(m)=n then Tϕ(m¯,n¯), and (ii) if f(m)n then Tϕ(m¯,n¯).[2]

Comparison of usage patterns

Text "Expresses" "Captures"
Peter Smith. Godel book (see especially footnote 9 on p. 45) expresses captures
Leary & Kristiansen defines represents
Goldrei defines (but the book also uses "represents")[3]
Boolos, Burgess, Jeffrey (5th ed) arithmetically defines[4] defines (for sets), represents (for functions)[4]
Wikipedia arithmetically defines this page uses "represents", but I don't think there's a standalone article for the concept

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Peter Smith. Godel book, p. 119, 120, 122.
  2. Leary and Kristiansen. A Friendly Introduction to Mathematical Logic (2nd ed). p. 121
  3. Goldrei. Propositional and Predicate Calculus. p. 137.
  4. 4.0 4.1 George S. Boolos; John P. Burgess; Richard C. Jeffrey. Computability and Logic (5th ed). p. 199 for "arithmetically defines". p. 207 for "defines".