Let $T$ be a (first order complete) dependent theory, ${\mathfrak{C}}$ a $\barκ$-saturated model of $T$ and $G$ a definable subgroup which is abelian. Among subgroups of bounded index which are the union of $<\barκ$ type definable subsets there is a minimal one, i.e. their intersection has bounded index. In fact, the bound is $\leq 2^{|T|}$. We then deal with 2-dependent theories, a wider class of first order theories.
We consider sentence-definable and diagram-definable subfamilies of given families of theories, calculi for these subfamilies, as well dynamics and characteristics of these subfamilies with respect to rank and degree.
Answering a special case of a question of Chernikov and Simon, we show that any non-dividing formula over a model M in a distal NIP theory is a member of a consistent definable family, definable over M.
For G a group definable in an NIP theory we prove that there is a smallest type-definable subgroup H of G such that the quotient G/H is stable. This generalizes the existence of G^00, the smallest type-definable subgroup of G of bounded index.
We prove a definable version of Matoušek's $(p,q)$-theorem in NIP theories. This answers a question of Chernikov and Simon. We also prove a uniform version. The proof builds on a proof of Boxall and Kestner who proved this theorem in the distal case, utilizing the notion of locally compressible types which appeared in the work of the author with Bays and Simon.
Given an o-minimal structure ${\mathcal M}$ with a group operation, we show that for a properly convex subset $U$, the theory of the expanded structure ${\mathcal M}'=({\mathcal M},U)$ has definable Skolem functions precisely when ${\mathcal M}'$ is valuational. As a corollary, we get an elementary proof that the theory of any such ${\mathcal M}'$ does not satisfy definable choice.
It is proved that if $T$ is a $Σ_{n+1}$ Definable theory which is $Σ_n$-sound and extends $PA$, then $T$ can not prove the sentence $Σ_n-sound(T)$ that expresses the $Σ_n$-soundness of $T$. Optimality of this result is showed by constructing a $Σ_{n+1}$-definable and $Σ_{n-1}$-sound theory extending $PA$ such that $Σ_n-sound(T)$ is $T$-provable. It is also proved that no R.E. arithmetical theory, evevn very weak theories which are not $Σ_1$-complete, can prove $Σ_1$-soundness of itself.
Let T be an NIP L-theory and T' be an enrichment. We give a sufficient condition on T' for the underlying L-type of any definable (respectively invariant) type over a model of T' to be definable (respectively invariant) as an L-type. Besides, we generalise work of Simon and Starchenko on the density of definable types among non forking types to this relative setting. These results are then applied to Scanlon's model completion of valued differential fields.
We study the definable topological dynamics $(G(M), S_G(M))$ of a definable group acting on its type space, where $M$ is either an $o$-minimal structure or a $p$-adically closed field, and $G$ a definable amenable group. We focus on the problem raised by Neweslki of whether weakly generic types coincide with almost periodic types, showing that the answer is positive when $G$ has boundedly many global weakly generic types. We also give two "minimal counterexamples" where $G$ has unboundedly many global weakly generic types, extending the main results of "On minimal flows, definably amenable gro…
For certain theories of existentially closed topological differential fields, we show that there is a strong relationship between $\mathcal L\cup\{D\}$-definable sets and their $\mathcal L$-reducts, where $\mathcal L$ is a relational expansion of the field language and $D$ a symbol for a derivation. This enables us to associate with an $\mathcal L\cup\{D\}$-definable group in models of such theories, a local $\mathcal L$-definable group. As a byproduct, we show that in closed ordered differential fields, one has the descending chain condition on centralisers.
We continue investigating the structure of externally definable sets in NIP theories and preservation of NIP after expanding by new predicates. Most importantly: types over finite sets are uniformly definable; over a model, a family of non-forking instances of a formula (with parameters ranging over a type-definable set) can be covered with finitely many invariant types; we give some criteria for the boundedness of an expansion by a new predicate in a distal theory; naming an arbitrary small indiscernible sequence preserves NIP, while naming a large one doesn't; there are models of NIP theorie…
The following strong form of density of definable types is introduced for theories T admitting a fibered dimension function d: given a model M of T and a definable subset X of M^n, there is a definable type p in X, definable over a code for X and of the same d-dimension as X. Both o-minimal theories and the theory of closed ordered differential fields (CODF) are shown to have this property. As an application, we derive a new proof of elimination of imaginaries for CODF.
We prove that externally definable sets in first order NIP theories have honest definitions, giving a new proof of Shelah's expansion theorem. Also we discuss a weak notion of stable embeddedness true in this context. Those results are then used to prove a general theorem on dependent pairs, which in particular answers a question of Baldwin and Benedikt on naming an indiscernible sequence.
We show pro-definability of spaces of definable types in various classical complete first order theories, including complete o-minimal theories, Presburger arithmetic, $p$-adically closed fields, real closed and algebraically closed valued fields and closed ordered differential fields. Furthermore, we prove pro-definability of other distinguished subspaces, some of which have an interesting geometric interpretation. Our general strategy consists in showing that definable types are uniformly definable, a property which implies pro-definability using an argument due to E. Hrushovski and F. Loese…
We give examples of (i) a simple theory with a formula (with parameters) which does not fork over the empty set but has mu measure 0 for every automorphism invariant Keisler measure mu, and (ii) a definable group G in a simple theory such that G is not definably amenable, i.e. there is no translation invariant Keisler measure on G We also discuss paradoxical decompositions both in the setting of discrete groups and of definable groups, and prove some positive results about small theories, including the definable amenability of definable groups, and nontriviality of the graded Grothendieck ring…
A new notion of independence relation is given and associated to it, the class of flat theories, a subclass of strong stable theories including the superstable ones is introduced. More precisely, after introducing this independence relation, flat theories are defined as an appropriate version of superstability. It is shown that in a flat theory every type has finite weight and therefore flat theories are strong. Furthermore, it is shown that under reasonable conditions any type is non-orthogonal to a regular one. Concerning groups in flat theories, it is shown that type-definable groups behave…
We consider strong expansions of the theory of ordered abelian groups. We show that the assumption of strength has a multitude of desirable consequences for the structure of definable sets in such theories, in particular as relates to definable infinite discrete sets. We also provide a range of examples of strong expansions of ordered abelian groups which demonstrate the great variety of such theories.
We study finite-dimensional groups definable in models of the theory of real closed fields with a generic derivation (also known as CODF). We prove that any such group definably embeds in a semialgebraic group. We extend the results to several more general contexts; strongly model complete theories of large geometric fields with a generic derivation, model complete o-minimal expansions of RCF with a generic derivation, open theories of topological fields with a generic derivation. We also give a general theorem on recovering a definable group from generic data in the context of geometric struc…
We settle some open problems in the special case of groups in o-minimal structures, such as the equality of G^00 and G^000 and the equivalence of definable amenability and existence of a type with bounded orbit. We prove almost exactness of the G to G^00 functor. We ask further questions about types with bounded orbits in NIP theories.
In continuous first-order logic, the union of definable sets is definable but generally the intersection is not. This means that in any continuous theory, the collection of $\varnothing$-definable sets in one variable forms a join-semilattice under inclusion that may fail to be a lattice. We investigate the question of which semilattices arise as the collection of definable sets in a continuous theory. We show that for any non-trivial finite semilattice $L$ (or, equivalently, any finite lattice $L$), there is a superstable theory $T$ whose semilattice of definable sets is $L$. We then extend t…
This is a largely expository paper about how groups arise or are of interest in model theory. Included are the following topics: classifying groups definable in specific structures or theories and the relation to algebraic groups, groups definable in stable, simple and NIP theories, definable compactifications of groups, definable Galois theory (including differential Galois theory), connections with topological dynamics, model theory of the free group.
In this note we prove and disprove some chain conditions in type definable and definable groups in dependent, strongly dependent and strongly^{2} dependent theories.
We show that in a stable first-order theory, the failure of higher-dimensional type amalgamation can always be witnessed by algebraic structures which we call n-ary polygroupoids. This generalizes a result of Hrushovski that failures of 4-amalgamation in stable theories are witnessed by definable groupoids (which are 2-ary polygroupoids in our terminology). The n-ary polygroupoids are definable in a mild expansion of the language (adding a unary predicate for an infinite Morley sequence).
We solve two problems from the paper "On maximal stable quotients of definable groups in NIP theories" by M. Haskel and A. Pillay, which concern maximal stable quotients of groups type-definable in NIP theories. The first result says that if $G$ is a type-definable group in a distal theory, then $G^{st}=G^{00}$ (where $G^{st}$ is the smallest type-definable subgroup with $G/G^{st}$ stable, and $G^{00}$ is the smallest type-definable subgroup of bounded index). In order to get it, we prove that distality is preserved under passing from $T$ to the hyperimaginary expansion $T^{heq}$. The second r…
We study the Vapnik-Chervonenkis (VC) density of definable families in certain stable first-order theories. In particular we obtain uniform bounds on VC density of definable families in finite U-rank theories without the finite cover property, and we characterize those abelian groups for which there exist uniform bounds on the VC density of definable families.
We initiate a study of definable topological dynamics for groups definable in metastable theories. Specifically, we consider the special linear group $G = SL_2$ with entries from $M = \mathbb{C}((t))$; the field of formal Laurent series with complex coefficients. We prove such a group is not definably amenable, find a suitable group decomposition, and describe the minimal flows of the additive and multiplicative groups of $\mathbb{C}((t))$. The main result is an explicit description of the minimal flow and Ellis Group of $(G(M),S_G(M))$ and we observe that this is not isomorphic to $G/G^{00}$,…
We prove that many properties and invariants of definable groups in NIP theories, such as definable amenability, G/G^{00}, etc., are preserved when passing to the theory of the Shelah expansion by externally definable sets, M^{ext}, of a model M. In the light of these results we continue the study of the "definable topological dynamics" of groups in NIP theories. In particular we prove the Ellis group conjecture relating the Ellis group to G/G^{00} in some new cases, including definably amenable groups in o-minimal structures.
The Fitting subgroup of a type-definable group in a simple theory is relatively definable and nilpotent. Moreover, the Fitting subgroup of a supersimple hyperdefinable group has a normal hyperdefinable nilpotent subgroup of bounded index, and is itself of bounded index in a hyperdefinable subgroup.
This paper has two parts. In the first one, we prove that an invariant dp-minimal type is either finitely satisfiable or definable. We also prove that a definable version of the (p,q)-theorem holds in dp-minimal theories of small or medium directionality. In the second part, we study dp-rank in dp-minimal theories and show that it enjoys many nice properties. It is continuous, definable in families and it can be characterised geometrically with no mention of indiscernible sequences. In particular, if the structure expands a divisible ordered abelian group, then dp-rank coincides with the dimen…
We present a relatively simple description of binary, definable subsets of models of weakly quasi-o-minimal theories. In particular, we closely describe definable linear orders and prove a weak version of the monotonicity theorem. We also prove that weak quasi-o-minimality of a theory with respect to one definable linear order implies weak quasi-o-minimality with respect to any other such order.
Let $\mathcal{R}$ be an $\mathrm{NIP}$ expansion of $(\mathbb{R},<,+)$ by closed subsets of $\mathbb{R}^n$ and continuous functions $f : \mathbb{R}^m \to \mathbb{R}^n$. Then $\mathcal{R}$ is generically locally o-minimal. It follows that if $X \subseteq \mathbb{R}^n$ is definable in $\mathcal{R}$ then the $C^k$-points of $X$ are dense in $X$ for any $k \geq 0$. This follows from a more general theorem on $\mathrm{NIP}$ expansions of locally compact groups, which itself follows from a result on quotients of definable sets by equivalence relations which are externally definable and $\bigwedge$-d…
We show that, for a certain large class of power-bounded $o$-minimal $\mathcal{L}_T$-theories $T$ whose field of exponents is infinite-dimensional as a vector space over the rationals, any definable set in a $T$-convex valued field $(\mathcal{R}, \mathfrak{O})$ is in a precise sense the limit of a family of $\mathcal{L}_T$-definable sets indexed over the residue field. Alternatively, in the mainstream model-theoretic language, this says that if $(\mathcal{R}', \mathfrak{O}')$ is an elementary substructure of $(\mathcal{R}, \mathfrak{O})$ and if the residue field of $\mathfrak{O}$ contains an e…
We give examples of groups G such that G^00 is different from G^000. We also prove that for groups G definable in an o-minimal structure, G has a "bounded orbit" iff G is definably amenable. These results answer questions of Gismatullin, Newelski, Petrykovski. The examples also give new non G-compact first order theories.
