This semester the Logic Seminar will meet on Thursdays, 2:50 – 3:40 pm in Keller 402.

This Thursday we will have a (probably brief) organizational meeting.

Title: Some nonstandard remarks about Egyptian fractions

Abstract: An Egyptian fraction is a finite sum of fractions of the form $1/n$, where $n$ is a natural number. I’ll give simple proofs of some results about such fractions (also about Znám fractions). The proofs only require the compactness theorem from first order logic, though I’ll use the language of nonstandard analysis.

Title: A Simple Proof of a Theorem of Woodin

Abstract: In a similar spirit as my talk last semester about computing
and non-standard models, I will relay Joel David Hamkins’ new proof of a
theorem of Woodin: that there is a function that enumerates any finite
set (if computed in the correct model M of arithmetic), and which can
enumerate any extension of that set (if run in the correct end-extension
of M).

Title: Measure-Risking Arguments in Recursion Theory

Abstract: By way of introducing the idea of measure-risking, I will present a proof of Kurtz’s theorem that the Turing upward closure of the set of 1-generic reals is of full Lebesgue measure. Then I will show how a stronger form of the theorem (due originally to Kautz) can be obtained by framing the proof as a “fireworks argument”, following a recent paper of Bienvenu and Patey.