A trip to Goodstein Island

Oriola Gjetaj (Ghent U)

Aug 28. 2025, 10:00 — 11:00

The Goodstein principle is a natural number-theoretic theorem which is unprovable in Peano arithmetic. Since the original process definition there have been different canonical representation using Fast-Growing hierarchies. These representations give a natural Goodstein process independent from theories of various strength. In this talk we consider a normal forms based on Bachmann-Howard Hardy hierarchy from which we obtain a Goodstein process independent from the theory of ID2.

This is joint work with A. Weiermann on exploring normal form notations for the Goodstein principle.

Further Information
Venue:
ESI Schrödinger and Boltzmann Lecture Hall
Recordings:
Recording
Associated Event:
Reverse Mathematics (Thematic Programme)
Organizer(s):
Juan Aguilera (TU Vienna)
Linda Brown Westrick (Penn State U)
Noam Greenberg (Victoria U of Wellington)
Denis Hirschfeldt (U of Chicago)