Computability and Logic

by George S. Boolos, John P. Burgess, Richard C. Jeffrey

Overview

Computability and Logic has become a classic because of its accessibility to students without a mathematical background and because it covers not simply the staple topics of an intermediate logic course, such as Godel’s incompleteness theorems, but also a large number of optional topics, from Turing’s theory of computability to Ramsey’s theorem. Including a selection of exercises, adjusted for this edition, at the end of each chapter, it offers a new and simpler treatment of the representability of recursive functions, a traditional stumbling block for students on the way to the Godel incompleteness theorems.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521701464
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	09/17/2007
Edition description:	Revised Edition
Pages:	366
Product dimensions:	7.01(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.75(d)

Table of Contents

Part I. Computability Theory: 1. Enumerability; 2. Diagonalization; 3. Turing computability; 4. Uncomputability; 5. Abacus computability; 6. Recursive functions; 7. Recursive sets and relations; 8. Equivalent definitions of computability; Part II. Basic Metalogic: 9. A precis of first-order logic: syntax; 10. A precis of first-order logic: semantics; 11. The undecidability of first-order logic; 12. Models; 13. The existence of models; 14. Proofs and completeness; 15. Arithmetization; 16. Representability of recursive functions; 17. Indefinability, undecidability, incompleteness; 18. The unprovability of consistency; Part III. Further Topics: 19. Normal forms; 20. The Craig interpolation theorem; 21. Monadic and dyadic logic; 22. Second-order logic; 23. Arithmetical definability; 24. Decidability of arithmetic without multiplication; 25. Non-standard models; 26. Ramsey's theorem; 27. Modal logic and provability.

Editorial Reviews

This intermediate logic textbook for philosophy and computer science students introduces Gödel's completeness theorem, several incompleteness theorems, their attendant lemmas and corollaries, the theory of Turing machines, recursive functions, definability, and decidability. The fourth edition adds problems at the end of each chapter. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

"John P. Burgess (Princeton U.) and Richard C. Jeffrey continue here in the tradition set by the late Boolos to present the "principal fundamental theoretical results logic" that would necessarily include the work of Gdel. For this edition they have revised and simplified their presentation of the representability of recursive functions, rewritten a section on Robinson arithmetic, and reworked exercises. They continue to present material in a two-semester format, the first on computability theory (enumerability, diagonalization, Turing compatibility, uncomputability, abacus computability, recursive functions, recursive sets and relations, equivalent definitions of computability) and basic metalogic (syntax, semantics, the undecidability of first-order logic, models and their existence, proofs and completeness, arithmetization, representability of recursive functions, indefinability, undecidability, incompleteness and the unprobability of inconsistency). They include a slate of nine further topics, including normal forms, second-order logic and Ramsey's theorem."
Book News, Inc.

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