Abstract 1 Introduction 2 Transition algebra 3 Related concepts 4 Compactness and Upward Löwenheim-Skolem Property 5 Forcing 6 Semantic Forcing 7 Downward Löwenheim-Skolem Theorem 8 Omitting Types Theorem 9 𝝎-Completeness 10 Conclusions References

Model-Theoretic Forcing in Transition Algebra

Go Hashimoto ORCID Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan Daniel Găină ORCID Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
Abstract

We study Löwenheim-Skolem and Omitting Types theorems in Transition Algebra, a logical system obtained by enhancing many sorted first-order logic with features from dynamic logic. The sentences we consider include compositions, unions, and transitive closures of transition relations, which are treated similarly to actions in dynamic logics to define necessity and possibility operators. We show that Upward Löwenheim-Skolem theorem, any form of compactness, and joint Robinson consistency property fail due to the expressivity of transitive closures of transitions. In this non-compact many-sorted logical system, we develop a forcing technique method by generalizing the classical method of forcing used by Keisler to prove Omitting Types theorem. Instead of working within a single signature, we work with a directed diagram of signatures, which allows us to establish Downward Löwenheim-Skolem and Omitting Types theorems despite the fact that models interpret sorts as sets, possibly empty. Building on a complete system of proof rules for Transition Algebra, we extend it with additional proof rules to reason about constructor-based and/or finite transition algebras. We then establish the completeness of this extended system for a fragment of Transition Algebra obtained by restricting models to constructor-based and/or finite transition algebras.

Keywords and phrases:
institutional model theory, algebraic specification, transition algebra, forcing, omitting types property, Löwenheim-Skolem properties, completeness
Copyright and License:
[Uncaptioned image] © Go Hashimoto and Daniel Găină; licensed under Creative Commons License CC-BY 4.0
2012 ACM Subject Classification:
Theory of computation Logic and verification
Related Version:
Full paper, including proofs: http://arxiv.org/abs/2506.22828 [20]
Funding:
The work presented in this paper has been partially supported by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, grant number 23K11048.
Editors:
Paweł Gawrychowski, Filip Mazowiecki, and Michał Skrzypczak

1 Introduction

Transition Algebra [19], abbreviated 𝖳𝖠, offers a logical framework for modeling and reasoning about state transitions in systems, particularly in concurrency theory and computer science. Closely related to modal logics and algebraic specification languages executable by rewriting, it provides a structured approach to describing system evolution based on predefined rules. The key concepts in transition algebra are (a) states, which are characterized using equational theories, and (b) transitions, which are represented as labeled relations between states. Transition algebra can be broadly viewed as an extension of many-sorted first-order logic, incorporating features from dynamic logic. It includes algebraic operators that define how transitions combine, such as (a) Sequential composition (;): if a system moves from state t1 to t2 according to transition rule 𝔞1, and then from t1 to t2 under transition rule 𝔞2, this is written as 𝔞1;𝔞2, (b) Choice (): represents nondeterministic choices between transitions. (c) Iteration (): denotes repeated transitions, analogous to the Kleene star in formal language theory. Iteration (), has been employed in the literature to enhance the expressive power of first-order logic, albeit at the expense of compactness. Notably, Fagin’s work on Transitive Closure Logic (TCL) has been extensively studied within the frameworks of finite model theory and descriptive complexity [9, 10]. However, apart from the work on 𝖳𝖠 [19], we are not aware of any model-theoretic studies of first-order logic with iteration beyond the scope of finite model theory. Moreover, when sorts – possibly infinitely many – and models interpreting those sorts as sets – possibly empty – are permitted, extending existing techniques to such a framework poses significant challenges and lacks a straightforward solution.

In [19], it is shown that transition algebra possesses an essential property for modularization, known as the satisfaction condition. This condition states that truth remains invariant under changes in notation. Here, a change in notation refers to the translation between local languages constructed from vocabularies, often called signatures. Consequently, transition algebra is formalized as an institution [11], a category-theoretic framework that captures the notion of logic by incorporating its syntax, semantics, and the satisfaction relation between them. Similarly, the logic underlying CafeOBJ [8] satisfies the satisfaction condition for signature morphisms, allowing it to be formalized as an institution. However, its models cannot distinguish between different transitions occurring between the same states, as transitions are represented by preorder relations. In contrast, Rewriting Logic [25] – the foundation of Maude [4] – offers greater expressivity by treating transitions as arrows in a category, where states serve as objects. This expressiveness comes at a cost, as the satisfaction condition does not hold in Rewriting Logic. On the other hand, transition algebra retains the modular properties of the preorder algebras in CafeOBJ due to its institutional structure while achieving the same level of expressivity as Rewriting Logic.

Given a set of properties formalized as first-order sentences, practitioners seek to study a restricted class of transition algebras that satisfy these properties. In fields such as formal methods and functional programming – where computation and reasoning rely on abstract data types and term rewriting – many algebraic structures are naturally described using constructor operators, such as numbers with 0 and succ, or lists with nil and cons. Pattern matching on constructors further simplifies function definitions. A related example is Finite Model Theory [24, 12], which focuses on logical structures with a finite domain. This area is particularly relevant to database theory, complexity theory, and various computer science applications. Building on a complete system of proof rules for 𝖳𝖠, such as the one proposed in [19], we extend it with additional proof rules to reason about constructor-based and/or finite transition algebras. We refer the reader to [2, 1, 17] for theoretical foundations of constructor-based models and to [27] for a formal method developed for reasoning about such models. We then establish the completeness of this extended system for the fragment of 𝖳𝖠 obtained by restricting the semantics to constructor-based and/or finite transition algebras.

In this work, we use Omitting Types Theorem (OTT) to extend completeness of 𝖳𝖠 to a fragment obtained by restricting the semantics to constructor-based transition algebras with finite carrier sets. The OTT states that if a first-order theory Φ does not require a certain type (a set of formulas describing a potential element) to be realized, then there exists a model of Φ that omits this type. This ensures the existence of models that exclude specific unwanted elements. A key challenge arises from the fact that models with potentially empty carrier sets are allowed in 𝖳𝖠. In this model-theoretic framework, extending the initial signature with an infinite number of constants cannot always be achieved while preserving the satisfiability of the underlying theory. To address this, we employ a forcing technique introduced in [19] to prove completeness of 𝖳𝖠. Forcing was originally introduced by Paul Cohen [5, 6] in set theory to show the independence of the continuum hypothesis from the other axioms of Zermelo-Fraenkel set theory. Robinson [28] developed an analogous theory of forcing in model theory. The forcing technique has been studied in institutional model theory at an abstract, category-theoretic level, in works such as [18, 14, 15]. The forcing method proposed in [19] generalizes classical forcing from a single signature to a category of signatures, enabling the dynamic addition of both constants and sentences while preserving satisfiability. Notably, this dynamic forcing method is particularly suited for logical systems that are not compact, such as 𝖳𝖠.

Additionally, we show that 𝖳𝖠 theories have some control over the cardinality of their models. The Upward Löwenheim–Skolem Theorem does not hold in general, as there exist theories that uniquely determine a model up to isomorphism, provided that the model’s size is exactly the cardinality of the power of its underlying signature.111The power of a signature is the cardinality of the set of all sentences that can be formed in its language. It is interesting to note that the Downward Löwenheim–Skolem Theorem does hold, as for any model whose size exceeds the power of its underlying signature, one can construct an elementary submodel whose size matches the power of the signature.

2 Transition algebra

In this section, we recall the logic of many-sorted transition algebras [19], or transition algebra (𝖳𝖠), for short. We present, in order: signatures, models, sentences, and the 𝖳𝖠 satisfaction relation.

Signatures.

The signatures we consider are ordinary algebraic signatures endowed with polymorphic transition labels. We denote them by triples of the form (S,F,L), where:

  • (S,F) is a many-sorted algebraic signature consisting of a set of sorts S and a set of function symbols F={σ:wswS and sS};

  • L is a set whose elements we call transition labels.

Given a function symbol σ:wsF, we refer to wS as its arity and sS as its sort. When w is the empty arity, we may speak of σ:s as a constant of sort s.

Throughout the paper, we let Σ, Σ, and Σi range over signatures of the form (S,F,L), (S,F,L), and (Si,Fi,Li), respectively.

As usual in institution theory [7, 29], important constructions such as signature extensions with constants as well as open formulae and quantifiers are realized in a multi-signature setting, so moving between signatures is common. A signature morphism χ:ΣΣ consists of a triple χ=(χst,χop,χlb), where (a) χst:SSis a function mapping sorts, (b) χop:FFmaps each function symbol σ:s1snsF to a function symbol χop(σ):χst(s1)χst(sn)χ(s)F and (c) χlb:LLis a function mapping labels. For convenience, we typically omit the superscripts st, op and lb in the notation.

 Remark 1.

Signature morphisms compose componentwise. This composition is associative and has identities, forming a category 𝖲𝗂𝗀 of signatures.

Models.

Given a signature Σ, a Σ-model 𝔄 consists of:

  • an (S,F)-algebra 𝔄, where each sort sS is interpreted by 𝔄 as a set 𝔄s and each function symbol σ:s1snsF is interpreted by 𝔄 as a function σ𝔄:𝔄s1××𝔄sn𝔄s;

  • an interpretation of each label ϱL as a many-sorted transition relation ϱ𝔄𝔄×𝔄, where ϱ𝔄={ϱs𝔄}sS and ϱs𝔄𝔄s×𝔄s for all sorts sS. 222In principle, relations of any arity could be defined, and the results presented in this paper would still hold. However, in algebraic specification languages that are executable via rewriting, the only relations considered are transitions, which are defined between pairs of elements of the same sort. Furthermore, the iteration operator () can be applied exclusively to transitions.

A homomorphism h:𝔄𝔅 over a signature Σ is an algebraic (S,F)-homomorphism that preserves transitions: h(ϱ𝔄)ϱ𝔅 for all ϱL. It is easy to see that Σ-homomorphisms form a category, which we denote by 𝖬𝗈𝖽𝖳𝖠(Σ), under their obvious componentwise composition.

 Remark 2.

Every signature morphism χ:ΣΣ determines a model-reduct functor _χ:𝖬𝗈𝖽𝖳𝖠(Σ)𝖬𝗈𝖽𝖳𝖠(Σ) such that:

  • for every Σ-model 𝔄, (𝔄χ)s=𝔄χ(s) for each sort sS, σ(𝔄χ)=χ(σ)𝔄 for each symbol σF, and ϱ(𝔄χ)=χ(ϱ)𝔄 for each label ϱL; and

  • for every Σ-homomorphism h:𝔄𝔅, (hχ)s=hχ(s) for each sS.

Moreover, the mapping χ_χ is functorial.

For any signature morphism χ:ΣΣ, any Σ-model 𝔄 and any Σ-model 𝔄 if 𝔄=𝔄χ, we say that 𝔄 is the χ-reduct of 𝔄, and that 𝔄 is a χ-expansion of 𝔄. For example, for a many-sorted set X (say, of variables) that is disjoint from the set of constants in Σ, consider the inclusion morphism ιX:ΣΣ[X], where Σ[X]=(S,F[X],L) is the signature obtained from Σ by adding the elements of X to F as new constants of appropriate sort. Then an expansion of a Σ-model 𝔄 along ιX can be seen as a pair 𝔄=𝔄,f:X𝔄, where f is a valuation of X in 𝔄.

As in many-sorted algebra, there is a special, initial model in 𝖬𝗈𝖽𝖳𝖠(Σ), which we denote by TΣ, whose elements are ground terms built from function symbols, and whose transitions are all empty. The Σ-model TΣ(X) of terms with variables from X is defined as the ιX-reduct of TΣ[X]; i.e., TΣ(X)=TΣ[X]ιX.

Sentences.

Given a signature Σ, the set A of actions is defined by the following grammar:

𝔞ϱ𝔞;𝔞𝔞𝔞𝔞

where ϱ is a transition label. We let A denote the set of all actions and extend our notational convention for signature components to their corresponding sets of actions. Specifically, we use: (a) Ato denote the set of actions over a signature Σ, (b) Aito denote the set of actions over a signature Σi, and similarly for other variations. Moreover, through a slight abuse of notation, we also denote by χ:AA the canonical map determined by a signature morphism χ:ΣΣ.

To define sentences, we assume a countably infinite set of variable names {vii<ω}. A variable for a signature Σ is a triple vi,s,Σ, where (a) viis a variable name and (b) sis a sort in Σ. The third component is used only to ensure that variables are distinct from the constants declared in Σ, which is essential when dealing with quantifiers. The set 𝖲𝖾𝗇𝖳𝖠(Σ) of sentences over Σ is given by the following grammar:

ϕt=t𝔞(t1,t2)¬ϕΦXϕ

where (a) tand t are Σ-terms of the same sort; (b) 𝔞is any action; (c) t1and t2 are Σ-terms of the same sort; (d) Φis a finite set of Σ-sentences; and (e) Xis a finite block of Σ-variables, that is, X is a finite set of variables such that if vi,s1,Σ,vj,s2,ΣX and s1s2 then ij; and (f) ϕis a Σ[X]-sentence. A sentence 𝔞(t1,t2) is called a transition rule, which can also be written in infix notation t1𝔞t2. An atomic sentence is a ground equation t=t or a ground transition rule of the form t1ϱt2, where ϱL is a transition label.

Besides the above core connectives, we also make use of the following convenient (and standard) abbreviations: Φ¬ϕΦ¬ϕ for finite conjunctions; for falsity; =¬ for truth; ϕ1ϕ2¬ϕ1ϕ2 for implications; and Xϕ¬X¬ϕ for universally quantified sentences.

 Remark 3.

Any signature morphism χ:ΣΣ can be canonically extended to a sentence-translation function χ:𝖲𝖾𝗇𝖳𝖠(Σ)𝖲𝖾𝗇𝖳𝖠(Σ) given by:

  • χ(t=t)(χ(t)=χ(t));

  • χ(t1𝔞t2)χ(t1)χ(𝔞)χ(t2);

  • χ(¬ϕ)¬χ(ϕ);

  • χ(Φ)χ(Φ); and

  • χ(Xϕ)Xχ(ϕ), where X={vi,χ(s),Σvi,s,ΣX} and χ:Σ[X]Σ[X] is the extension of χ:ΣΣ mapping each vi,s,ΣX to vi,χ(s),ΣX.

Moreover, this sentence-translation mapping is functorial in χ.

For the sake of simplicity, we identify variables only by their name and sort, provided that there is no danger of confusion. Using this convention, each inclusion morphism ι:ΣΣ determines an inclusion function ι:𝖲𝖾𝗇𝖳𝖠(Σ)𝖲𝖾𝗇𝖳𝖠(Σ), which corresponds to the approach of classical model theory. This simplifies the presentation greatly. A situation when we cannot apply this convention arises when translating a Σ-sentence Xϕ along the inclusion ιX:ΣΣ[X].

Satisfaction relation.

Actions are interpreted as binary relations in models. Given a model 𝔄 over a signature Σ, and actions 𝔞,𝔞1,𝔞2A, we have:

  • (𝔞1;𝔞2)𝔄=𝔞1𝔄;𝔞2𝔄 (i.e., diagrammatic composition of binary relations);

  • (𝔞1𝔞2)𝔄=𝔞1𝔄𝔞2𝔄 (the union of binary relations); and

  • (𝔞)𝔄=(𝔞𝔄) (the reflexive and transitive closure of binary relations).

We define the satisfaction relation between models and sentences as follows:

  • 𝔄t=t iff t𝔄=t𝔄;

  • 𝔄t1𝔞t2 iff (t1𝔄,t2𝔄)𝔞𝔄;

  • 𝔄¬ϕ iff 𝔄⊧̸ϕ;

  • 𝔄Φ iff 𝔄ϕ for some sentence ϕΦ; and

  • 𝔄Xϕ iff 𝔄ϕ for some expansion 𝔄 of 𝔄 to the signature Σ[X].

Proposition 4 (Satisfaction condition).

For all signature morphisms χ:ΣΣ, all Σ-models 𝔄 and all Σ-sentences ϕ we have: 𝔄χϕiff𝔄χ(ϕ).

The satisfaction condition for 𝖳𝖠 is given in [19].

Logical framework.

Throughout this paper, we work within a fragment of 𝖳𝖠 which is obtained by (a) restricting the category of signatures – without prohibiting signature extensions with constants – and (b) discarding a subset of sentence or/and action operators from the grammar which is used to define sentences in 𝖳𝖠. When there is no danger of confusion we drop (a) the subscript from the notations 𝖲𝗂𝗀 and 𝖲𝖾𝗇, and (b) the subscript 𝖳𝖠 from the notation 𝖬𝗈𝖽𝖳𝖠. We denote by 𝖲𝖾𝗇0:𝖲𝗂𝗀𝕊𝖾𝗍 the sub-functor of 𝖲𝖾𝗇:𝖲𝗂𝗀𝕊𝖾𝗍, which maps each signature Σ in to the set 𝖲𝖾𝗇0(Σ) of atomic sentences from 𝖲𝖾𝗇(Σ).

3 Related concepts

We define the necessary concepts and present the existing results for presenting our advancements. We make the following notational conventions:

  • Recall that in any category 𝒞, the notation |𝒞| refers to the class of objects in 𝒞.

  • Let 𝗅𝖺𝗌𝗌 denote the large category whose objects are classes and whose morphisms are class functions. 333By contrast, a small category is one in which both the collection of objects and the collection of morphisms form sets, rather than proper classes.

  • Assume a set C and a cardinal α. Let 𝒫α(C){C1C𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖽(C1)<α}, the set of all subsets of C of cardinality strictly less than α. We write C1αC if C1𝒫α(C).

Presentations.

Let Σ be a signature, and assume a class of Σ-models 𝕄 and a set of Σ-sentences Φ.

  • We write 𝕄Φ if 𝔄Φ for all models 𝔄𝕄.

  • Let 𝕄={φ𝖲𝖾𝗇(Σ)𝕄Φ}, the set of sentences satisfied by all models in 𝕄.

  • Let Φ={𝔄|𝖬𝗈𝖽(Σ)|𝔄Φ}, the class of models which satisfy Φ.

  • Let 𝖬𝗈𝖽(Σ,Φ) be the full subcategory of 𝖬𝗈𝖽(Σ) of models which satisfy Φ.

A presentation is a pair (Σ,Φ) consisting of a signature Σ and a set of Σ-sentences Φ. A theory is a presentation (Σ,Φ) such that Φ=Φ. A presentation morphism χ:(Σ,Φ)(Σ,Φ) consist of a signature morphism χ:ΣΣ such that ΦΣχ(Φ). A theory morphism is a presentation morphism between theories.

Substitutions.

Let Σ be a signature, C1 and C2 two S-sorted sets of new constants for Σ . A substitution θ:C1C2 over Σ is a mapping from C1 to TΣ(C2). As in case of signature morphisms, a substitution θ:C1C2 determines

  • a sentence functor 𝖲𝖾𝗇(θ):𝖲𝖾𝗇(Σ[C1])𝖲𝖾𝗇(Σ[C2]), which preserves Σ and maps each constant cC1 to a term θ(c), and

  • a reduct functor θ:𝖬𝗈𝖽(Σ[C2])𝖬𝗈𝖽(Σ[C1]), which preserves the interpretation of Σ and assigns to each constant cC1 the interpretation of the term θ(c)TΣ(C2) in the category 𝖬𝗈𝖽(Σ[C2]), that is, for all 𝔄|𝖬𝗈𝖽(Σ[C2])| we have (a) (𝔄θ)s=𝔄sfor all sorts s in Σ, (b) x(𝔄θ)=x𝔄for all function or transition symbols x in Σ, and (c) c(𝔄θ)=θ(c)𝔄for all constants cC1.

As in the case of signature morphisms, we use θ to denote both the substitution θ:C1C2 and the functor 𝖲𝖾𝗇(θ):𝖲𝖾𝗇(Σ[C1])𝖲𝖾𝗇(Σ[C2]). The following result is a straightforward generalization of [7, Proposition 5.6].

Proposition 5 (Satisfaction condition for substitutions).

For all substitutions θ:C1C2, all Σ[C2]-models 𝔄 and all Σ[C1]-sentences ϕ we have: 𝔄θϕiff𝔄θ(ϕ).

A reachable (transition) algebra [26] defined over a signature Σ is a (transition) Σ-algebra 𝔄 such that the unique homomorphism h:TΣ𝔄 is surjective. By [17, Proposition 8], a Σ-algebra 𝔄 is reachable iff for all sets of new constants C for Σ and all expansions 𝔅 of 𝔄 to Σ[C], there exists a substitution θ:C such that 𝔄θ=𝔅.

4 Compactness and Upward Löwenheim-Skolem Property

𝖳𝖠 is very expressive and its sentences can control the cardinality of all its models under the the following assumptions:

  • Generalized Continuum Hypothesis (GCH) holds, that is, for any infinite cardinal number α, the next larger cardinal is exactly 2α; and

  • there are no inaccessible cardinals (¬IC).

Theorem 6 (Categoricity).

Assume that =𝖳𝖠. Let 𝔄 be a model defined over a signature Σ=(S,F,L). There exists a sort preserving inclusion of signatures ι:ΣΣ and a reachable ι-expansion 𝔄 of 𝔄 such that any model of (Σ,Th(𝔄)) is isomorphic to 𝔄, where Th(𝔄)={ϕ𝖲𝖾𝗇(Σ)𝔄ϕ}.

Theorem 6 is proven assuming ZFC+GCH+¬IC. These axioms are consistent relative to ZFC – that is, if ZFC is consistent, then so is the extended theory. Consequently, Theorem 6 (and its conclusion) cannot be refuted within ZFC. This illustrates that certain logical properties cannot be established within 𝖳𝖠 from ZFC alone. The following example shows that joint Robinson consistency property fails in 𝖳𝖠.

Example 7 (Robinson Consistency).

Consider a complete (first-order) theory (Σ,T) with at least two non-isomorphic models 𝔄 and 𝔅. Construct a pushout as illustrated on the left side of the diagram below.

Since 𝔄T and 𝔄Σ=𝔄, we have TTh(𝔄). Similarly, since 𝔅T and 𝔅Σ=𝔅, we have TTh(𝔅). However, χ1(Th(𝔄))χ2(Th(𝔅)) is not consistent, because any model of χ1(Th(𝔄))χ2(Th(𝔅)), by Theorem 6, would imply that 𝔄 is isomorphic to 𝔅.

Typically, the cardinality of a model 𝒜 over a signature Σ=(S,F,L) is defined as the sum of the cardinalities of its carrier sets, that is, 𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖽(𝔄)=sS𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖽(𝔄s). The following example illustrates that the classical Upward Löwenheim-Skolem (ULS) property does not hold when sorts are treated as unary predicates rather than as distinct domains.

Example 8.

Let Σ be a signature with countably infinitely many sorts {sn}n<ω, where each sort sn has exactly one constant symbol cn:sn, and there are no transition labels. Define the set of equations Γ{xn(xn=cn)n<ω}, which asserts that each sort sn contains exactly one element.

Note that Σ is a first-order signature, and Γ is a set of Σ-sentences that has an infinite model. However, Γ has no models of cardinality greater than ω, indicating that the ULS property, as traditionally stated, fails to apply in this setting. The following definition of the ULS property applies to many-sorted first-order logic.

Definition 9 (Upward Löwenheim-Skolem Property).

α-Upward Löwenheim-Skolem property holds for an infinite cardinal α whenever for all signatures Σ=(S,F,L), all Σ-models 𝔄 and all sorts sS such that α𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖽(𝖲𝖾𝗇(Σ)) and α𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖽(𝔄s)ω there exists an elementary extension 𝔅 of 𝔄 such that 𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖽(𝔅s)=α.

Recall that α-compactness holds whenever for all signatures Σ and all sets of Σ-sentences Φ, Φ has a model iff all subsets Ψ𝒫α(Φ) have a model. From Theorem 6, one can show that both ULS property and compactness fail.

Corollary 10.

Assume that =𝖳𝖠. Then (a) α-ULS fails for all cardinals α>ω, and (b) α-compactness fails for all infinite cardinals α.

Corollary 10 shows that the iteration operator for actions provides enough expressive power to control the cardinality of models. Moreover, compactness fails in all its forms. In this setting, we aim to develop a model construction method that does not rely on compactness, yet still supports the proof of logical properties such as Downward Löwenheim-Skolem (DLS) theorem and OTT. It is worth noting that the results presented in the following sections hold without assuming either GCH or ¬IC.

5 Forcing

In this section, we present a forcing technique, originally proposed in [19], which extends classical forcing from one signature to a category of signatures in a non-trivial way. To illustrate the motivation behind our approach, we recall Example 28 from [19].

Example 11.

Let Σ be a signature defined as follows: (a) S{siiω}, (b) F{c:s0,d:s0}, and (c) L{λ}. Let Φ be a set of Σ-sentences which consists of: (a) λ(c,d), and (b) (xn)¬λn(c,d)for all nω, where xn is a variable of sort sn.

The first sentence asserts that there is a transition from c to d in a finite number of steps. For each natural number n, the sentence (xn)¬λn(c,d) states that if the sort sn is not empty then there is no transition from c to d in exactly n steps. Classical model construction techniques typically involve introducing an infinite number of constants for each sort – commonly referred to as Henkin constants – followed by the application of quantifier elimination methods that select witnesses for existentially quantified variables. Let C={Csn}n<ω be a collection of Henkin constants, that is, newly introduced constants such that each Csn is countably infinite for all n<ω. Although the original theory (Σ,Φ) is satisfiable, its extension (Σ[C],Φ) becomes unsatisfiable upon the addition of these constants. This discrepancy highlights the limitations of classical approaches and motivates the need for a novel method to handle the introduction of Henkin constants effectively.

Definition 12 (Forcing property).

A forcing property is a tuple =(P,,Δ,f), where:

  1. 1.

    (P,) is a partially ordered set with a least element 0.

    The elements of P are traditionally called conditions.

  2. 2.

    Δ:(P,)𝖲𝗂𝗀 is a functor, which maps each arrow (pq)(P,) to an inclusion Δ(p)Δ(q).

  3. 3.

    f:(P,)𝕊𝖾𝗍 is a functor from the small category (P,) to the category of sets 𝕊𝖾𝗍 such that fΔ;𝖲𝖾𝗇0 is a natural transformation, that is: (af(p)𝖲𝖾𝗇0(Δ(p)) for all conditions pP, and (bf(p)f(q) for all relations (pq)(P,).

  4. 4.

    If f(p)ϕ then ϕf(q) for some qp, for all atomic sentences ϕ𝖲𝖾𝗇0(Δ(p)).

A classical forcing property is a particular case of forcing property such that Δ(p)=Δ(q) for all conditions p,qP. As usual, forcing properties determine suitable relations between conditions and sentences.

Definition 13 (Forcing relation).

Let =P,,Δ,f be a forcing property. The forcing relation between conditions pP and sentences from 𝖲𝖾𝗇(Δ(p)) is defined by induction on the structure of sentences, as follows:

  • pφ if φf(p), for all atomic sentences φ𝖲𝖾𝗇0(Δ(p)).

  • p(𝔞1;𝔞2)(t1,t2) if p𝔞1(t1,t) and p𝔞2(t,t2) for some tTΔ(p).

  • p(𝔞1𝔞2)(t1,t2) if p𝔞1(t1,t2) or p𝔞2(t1,t2).

  • p𝔞(t1,t2) if p𝔞n(t1,t2) for some natural number n<ω.

  • p¬ϕ if there is no qp such that qϕ.

  • pΦ if pϕ for some ϕΦ.

  • pXϕ if pθ(ϕ) for some substitution θ:XTΔ(p).

The relation pϕ in , is read as p forces ϕ.

A few basic properties of forcing are presented below.

Lemma 14 (Forcing properties [19]).

Let =(P,,Δ,f) be a forcing property. For all conditions pP and all sentences ϕ𝖲𝖾𝗇(Δ(p)) we have:

  1. 1.

    p¬¬ϕ iff for each qp there is a condition rq such that rϕ.

  2. 2.

    If pq and pϕ then qϕ.

  3. 3.

    If pϕ then p¬¬ϕ.

  4. 4.

    We can not have both pϕ and p¬ϕ.

The second property stated in the above lemma shows that the forcing relation is preserved along inclusions of conditions. The fourth property shows that the forcing relation is consistent, that is, a condition cannot force all sentences. The remaining conditions are about negation.

Definition 15 (Generic set).

Let =(P,,Δ,f) be a forcing property. A non-empty subset of conditions GP is generic if

  1. 1.

    G is an ideal, that is: (a) G, (b) for all pG and all qp we have qG, and (c) for all p,qG there exists rG such that pr and qr; and

  2. 2.

    for all conditions pG and all sentences ϕ𝖲𝖾𝗇(Δ(p)) there exists a condition qG such that qp and either qϕ or q¬ϕ holds.

We write Gϕ if pϕ for some pG.

A generic set G describes a reachable model which satisfies all sentences forced by the conditions in G.

 Remark 16.

Since Δ:(G,)𝖲𝗂𝗀 is a directed diagram of signature inclusions, one can construct a co-limit μ:ΔΔG of the functor Δ:(G,)𝖲𝗂𝗀 such that μp:Δ(p)ΔG is an inclusion for all pG. 444Note that ΔG refers both to the vertex of the colimit of the diagram Δ, and the constant functor from the poset (G,) to the category 𝖲𝗂𝗀, which maps every object in G to the signature ΔG.

The results which leads to DLS and OTT are developed over a signature ΔG such as the one described in Remark 16.

Definition 17 (Generic model).

Let =(P,,Δ,f) be a forcing property and GP a generic set. A model 𝔄 defined over ΔG is a generic model for G iff for every sentence ϕpG𝖲𝖾𝗇(Δ(p)), we have 𝔄ϕ iff Gϕ.

The notion of generic model is the semantic counterpart of the definition of generic set. The following result shows that every generic set has a generic model.

Theorem 18 (Generic Model Theorem [19]).

Let =(P,,Δ,f) be a forcing property and GP a generic set. Then there is a generic model 𝔄 for G which is reachable.

6 Semantic Forcing

As an example of forcing property, we introduce semantic forcing and study its properties. Let us fix an arbitrary signature Σ and let α𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖽(𝖲𝖾𝗇(Σ)) be the power of Σ. Consider an 𝒮-sorted set of new constants C={Cs}sS such that 𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖽(Cs)=α for all sorts sS. These constants, traditionally known as Henkin constants, are used in the construction of models. Throughout this section we assume the following:

  1. 1.

    a partially ordered set (𝒦,) with a least element 0𝒦;

  2. 2.

    a signature functor Ω:(𝒦,)𝖲𝗂𝗀 which maps (a) 0𝒦to Σ, (b) each element κ𝒦 to a signature Σ[Cκ], where Cκ is a subset of C with cardinality strictly less than α, that is, Cκ𝒫α(C), and (c) each relation (κ)(𝒦,) to an inclusion of signatures Σ[Cκ]Σ[C];

  3. 3.

    a model functor :(𝒦,)𝗅𝖺𝗌𝗌op such that the following hold: 555𝗅𝖺𝗌𝗌op is the opposite category of 𝗅𝖺𝗌𝗌, which means: (a) it has the same objects as 𝗅𝖺𝗌𝗌, that is, classes, but (b) morphisms are reversed, that is, a morphism f:AB in 𝗅𝖺𝗌𝗌op corresponds to a class function f:BA in 𝗅𝖺𝗌𝗌.

    1. (a)

      Ω;|𝖬𝗈𝖽| is a natural transformation, that is, (a) (κ)|𝖬𝗈𝖽(Ω(κ))|for all elements κ𝒦, and (b) ()Ω(κ)(κ)for all relations (κ)(𝒦,);

    2. (b)

      Assume an element κ𝒦, a model 𝔄(κ) and a set of constants C1αCCκ. For all expansions 𝔅 of 𝔄 to Σ[CκC1], there exists κ such that C=CκC1 and 𝔅().

The condition 3(b) implies that all sets of constants from 𝒫α(C) appear in some signature from the image of Ω.

Example 19.

Let 𝔄 be a model defined over a signature Σ.

  1. 1.

    𝒦={(Σ[C],𝔄)C𝒫α(C) and 𝔄|𝖬𝗈𝖽(Σ[C])| such that 𝔄Σ=𝔄}, and

    (Σ[C],𝔄)(Σ[C′′],𝔄′′) iff CC′′ and 𝔄′′Σ[C]=𝔄;

  2. 2.

    Ω:(𝒦,)𝖲𝗂𝗀 is the forgetful functor mapping each (Σ[C],𝔄) to Σ[C];

  3. 3.

    :(𝒦,)𝗅𝖺𝗌𝗌op is the model functor which maps each (Σ[C],𝔄)𝒦 to {𝔄}.

Example 19 shows that (𝒦,) can have a more complex structure than (𝒫α(C),).

Example 20.

Let Φ be any set of sentences defined over a signature Σ.

  1. 1.

    𝒦={(Σ[C],Φ)C𝒫α(C)}, and (Σ[C],Φ)(Σ[C′′],Φ) iff CC′′;

  2. 2.

    Ω:(𝒦,)𝖲𝗂𝗀 is the forgetful functor mapping each (Σ[C],Φ) to Σ[C];

  3. 3.

    :(𝒦,)𝗅𝖺𝗌𝗌op is the functor which maps each (Σ[C],Φ)𝒦 to |𝖬𝗈𝖽(Σ[C],Φ)|, the class of Σ[C]-models which satisfy Φ.

Definition 21 (Semantic Forcing Property).

The semantic forcing property (Ω,)=(P,,Δ,f) is defined as follows:

  1. 1.

    A condition p is a pair (κp,Φp), where κp𝒦 and Φpα𝖲𝖾𝗇(Ω(κp)) such that (κp)Φp, that is, there exists at least one model in (κp) which satisfies Φp.

  2. 2.

    pq iff κpκq and ΦpΦq, for all conditions p=(κp,Φp),q=(κq,Φq)P.

  3. 3.

    Δ:(P,)𝖲𝗂𝗀 is the functor mapping each condition p=(κp,Φp)P to Ω(κp)|𝖲𝗂𝗀|.

  4. 4.

    Let f(p)=𝖲𝖾𝗇0(Ω(κp))((κp)Φp), for all conditions pP. In other words, f(p) is the set of atomic sentences satisfied by all models of Φp from (κp).

From a category theory perspective, several observations are worth noting.

 Remark 22.

Definition 21 describe the following mathematical structures:

  • Λ:(P,)(𝒦,), defined by Λ(p)=κp for all pP, is a monotone function such that Δ=Λ;Ω.

  • Γ:(P,)𝕊𝖾𝗍, defined by Γ(p)=Φp for all pP, is a functor such that the inclusion :Γ(Λ;Ω;𝖲𝖾𝗇) is a natural transformation, that is:

    1. 1.

      Γ(p)𝖲𝖾𝗇(Δ(p)) for all conditions pP, and

    2. 2.

      Γ(p)Γ(q) for all relations (pq)(P,).

Let pP be a condition.

  1. 1.

    We let 𝖬𝗈𝖽(p) denote (Λ(p))Γ(p), the class of models in (Λ(p)) satisfying Γ(p).

  2. 2.

    We write pϕ iff ϕ is satisfied by all models in 𝖬𝗈𝖽(p), in symbols, 𝖬𝗈𝖽(p)ϕ.

The perspective of category theory can be disregarded if the reader is not familiar with it. However, Remark 22 lays the groundwork for a generalization to an abstract level, as defined by the notion of institution [11].

We define a notion of distance between conditions, which provides a principled method for regulating the addition of Henkin constants from C to the starting signature Σ.

Definition 23 (Distance & weak forcing).

The distance between two conditions p and q, with pq, is defined as the number of constants and sentences that must be added to p to obtain q, that is, d(p,q):=𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖽(Δ(q)Δ(p))+card(Γ(q)Γ(p)). A condition p weakly forces ϕ, in symbols, pwϕ, if for all qp there exists rq such that d(q,r)<ω and rϕ.

Using Lemma 14 (2) and the reflexivity of , it is not difficult to show that pϕ implies pwϕ. In the classical setting, weak forcing does not involve any notion of distance: pwϕ if and only if, for all qp, there exists rq such that rϕ; and this, in turn, holds if and only if p¬¬ϕ. The notion of distance is introduced in this paper to extend the applicability of the results to all signatures – including those of singular cardinality – by controlling the number of constants introduced during the construction of the generic sets.

Theorem 24 (Semantic Forcing Theorem).

For all conditions pP and all sentences ϕ𝖲𝖾𝗇(Δ(p)), we have: (a) pϕiff    (b) pwϕ

7 Downward Löwenheim-Skolem Theorem

Consider a semantic forcing property (Ω,) such that the functors Ω and are defined as in Example 19. We use (Ω,) to give a proof of Downward Löwenheim-Skolem Theorem. The key to proving any result based on forcing is the construction of a generic set for a given condition p.

Lemma 25 (Existence).

Let (Ω,)=(P,,Δ,f) be a semantic forcing property such that the functors Ω and are defined as in Example 19. Any condition pP belongs to a generic set Gp.

Proof.

Let pair:α×αα be any bijection such that for all ordinals i,j,β<α if β=pair(i,j) then iβ. For any condition qP, let γ(q):α𝖲𝖾𝗇(Δ(q)) be an enumeration of the sentences in 𝖲𝖾𝗇(Δ(q)).

First, we define an increasing chain of conditions p0p1pβ with the following property: for all ordinals β<α there exists n<ω such that d(p,pβ)ncard(β).666When α is a singular cardinal, the entire set of constants C may be used along a chain {pi}i<β with β<α. To avoid this uncontrolled increase in the size, we use the distance measure d. We proceed by induction on ordinals β<α.

(β=0)

Let p0p.

(ββ+1)

Let (i,j)pair1(β). Notice that iβ, which means pi is already defined. Condition pβ+1 is obtained by adding a finite set of constants from C and a finite set of sentences to pβ, according to a case distinction detailed below:

(qγ(pi,j) for some qpβ)

Since qγ(pi,j), by Theorem 24, qγ(pi,j). It follows that r(Λ(pβ),Γ(pβ){γ(pi,j)})P. Since rγ(pi,j), by Theorem 24, there exists pβ+1r such that pβ+1γ(pi,j) and d(r,pβ+1)<ω. By induction hypothesis, there exists n<ω such that d(p,pβ+1)n𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖽(β+1).

(q⊮γ(pi,j) for every qpβ)

Let pβ+1pβ. In this case, pβ+1¬γ(pi,j).

(β<α is a limit ordinal)

At this point, for all i<β we have defined pi=(Λ(pi),Γ(pi)), where Λ(pi)=(Δ(pi),𝔄i) and 𝔄i is an expansion of 𝔄 to Δ(pi).

  • Let CΛ(pβ)i<βCΛ(pi) and Δ(pβ)=Σ[CΛ(pβ)] and Γ(pβ)i<βΓ(pi). Since 𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖽(CΛ(pi))𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖽(β) for all i<β, we get 𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖽(CΛ(pβ))𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖽(β)<α. Similarly, 𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖽(Γ(pβ))𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖽(β)<α.

  • A model 𝔄i(Λ(pi)), where i<β, can be regarded as a pair (𝔄,gi:CΛ(pi)𝔄), consisting of the model 𝔄 and an interpretation of the constants in CΛ(pi) into the elements of 𝔄 given by the function gi. Define gβi<βgi, let 𝔄β(𝔄,gβ) and Λ(pβ)(Δ(pβ),𝔄β).

  • Let pβ(Λ(pβ),Γ(pβ)). By its definition, 𝔄βΔ(pi)=𝔄i for all i<β. Since 𝔄iΓ(pi) for all i<β, by satisfaction condition, 𝔄βΓ(pβ). Hence, pβ is well-defined. Since for all i<β there exists ni such that d(p,pi)ni𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖽(i), we get d(p,pβ)𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖽(β).

Secondly, one can easily show that Gp{qPqpβ for some β<α} is a generic set.

Theorem 26 (Downward Löwenheim-Skolem Theorem).

Let 𝔄 be a model over a signature Σ=(S,F,L) of power α such that 𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖽(𝔄s)α for some sort sS. Then there exists an elementary submodel 𝔅 of 𝔄 such that 𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖽(𝔅s)=α.

8 Omitting Types Theorem

Consider a semantic forcing property (Ω,) such that Ω and are defined as in Example 20. We use (Ω,) to give a proof of Omitting Types Theorem in 𝖳𝖠.

Definition 27 (Types).

A type for a signature Σ of power α is a set of sentences T defined over Σ[X], where X is a block of variables for Σ such that α𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖽(X)α. A Σ-model 𝔄 realizes T if 𝔅T for some expansion 𝔅 of 𝔄 to Σ[X]. 𝔄 omits T if 𝔄 does not realize T.

For all infinite cardinals α we have α<αcf(α), where cf(α) is the cofinality of α. Consequently, the condition α𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖽(X)α implies that 𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖽(X)<cf(α). The converse also holds under the assumption of GCH. The inequality α𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖽(X)α ensures that the number of mappings from X to the set of ground terms – that is, substitutions θ:X – does not exceed α. Note that if α is the cardinality of real numbers and X is countable then α𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖽(X)α holds.

Definition 28 (Isolated types).

Let Σ be a signature of power α. A set of sentences Φ𝖲𝖾𝗇(Σ) is said to isolate a type T𝖲𝖾𝗇(Σ[X]) iff there exist:

  • an S-sorted set of new constants D for Σ with 𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖽(D)<α,

  • a set Γ𝖲𝖾𝗇(Σ[D]) with 𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖽(Γ)<α and such that TΓ is satisfiable over Σ[D], and

  • a substitution θ:XD,

such that ΦΓΣ[D]θ(T). We say that Φ locally omits T if Φ does not isolate T.

Our definitions for type, realization, and isolation align with those provided in [16], with one key difference: we do not restrict the block of variables X to be finite. Definition 28 is similar to the definition of locally omitting types for first-order logic without equality from [22]. If the fragment of 𝖳𝖠 is closed under Boolean operators and first-order quantifiers, the above definition coincides with the classical one for isolated types.

Lemma 29.

Assume that (a) is semantically closed under Boolean operators and first-order quantifiers, and (b) is compact or α=ω. Then Φ𝖲𝖾𝗇(Σ) isolates a type T𝖲𝖾𝗇(Σ[X]) iff there exists a set of sentences Γ𝒫α(𝖲𝖾𝗇(Σ[X])) such that TΓ is satisfiable over Σ[X] and ΦΓΣ[X]T.

The proof is conceptually identical with the proof of [16, Lemma 45].

Definition 30 (Omitting Types Property).

Let α be an infinite cardinal. The fragment has α-Omitting Types Property (α-OTP) whenever

  1. 1.

    for all signatures Σ of power α,

  2. 2.

    all satisfiable sets of sentences Φ𝖲𝖾𝗇(Δ), and

  3. 3.

    all families of types {Ti𝖲𝖾𝗇(Σ[Xi])i<α},

such that Φ locally omits Ti for all i<α, there exists a Σ-model of Φ which omits Ti for all i<α. If α=ω then we say that has OTP rather than has ω-OTP.

Theorem 31 (Omitting Types Theorem).

Let Σ be a signature of power α. If α>ω then we assume that fragment is compact. Then has α-OTP.

Any fragment obtained from 𝖳𝖠 by (a) discarding a subset of sentence or/and action operators, and (b) restricting the category of signatures – without prohibiting signature extensions with constants – has ω-OTP. Any star-free fragment of 𝖳𝖠 is compact and therefore has α-OTP for all cardinals cardinal αω. In particular, many-sorted first-order logic has α-OTP for all cardinals cardinal αω.

Lemma 32.

Assume that is closed under Boolean operators and first-order quantifiers. Let Σ=(S,F) be a signature, where S{snn>0} and F.

  • Let ϕnznx1,,xnijxixj be a Σ-sentence, where n>0, where zn is a variable of sort sn, and x1,,xn are variables of sort s1. Note that ϕn states that if there exists an element of sort sn then there exists at least n elements of sort s1.

  • Let T{x1,,xnijxixji=1nyxin>0} be a type with one variable y of sort s1, expressing that there are infinitely many elements of sort s1.

Then Φ{ϕnn>0} locally omits T.

Let Σ, Φ and T be as defined in Lemma 32. Recall that the set of Henkin constants is C={Csn}n<ω, where 𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖽(Csn)=ω for all n<ω. Note that (Σ,Φ) is a satisfiable first-order presentation that does not involve the transitive closure operator , as it contains no relation symbols. By Lemma 32, Φ locally omits T. By Theorem 31, there exists a model 𝔄 for Φ which omits T. Since every model of (Σ[C],Φ) realizes T, the model 𝔄 must be constructed over a proper subset of C, in contrast to the classical first-order logic approach, where results are developed over the entire Σ[C]. Consequently, the OTT as presented in [23, 3, 21, 14, 16] does not apply in this context.

Lemma 33.

Let Σ=(S,F) be a signature such that S{s} and F{c:sc}, where denotes the set of real numbers. Let T{xicc:sF and i<ω} be a type with a countably infinite number of variables from X{xii<ω}. Then Φ locally omits T, where Φ is any countable and satisfiable set of Σ-sentences.

By Theorem 31, there exists a model 𝔄 of Φ which omits T. Consequently, the number of elements in 𝔄 that are not denotations of real numbers – considered unwanted elements – is finite and may therefore be regarded as negligible. Lemma 33 demonstrates that types involving infinitely many variables are not difficult to construct and can naturally arise in applications.

9 𝝎-Completeness

Although a transition algebra may satisfy a given set of sentences, it may not be relevant to the intended semantics. In many cases, formal methods practitioners are interested in the properties of a restricted class of transition algebras, such as: (a) those reachable through a set of constructor operators, (b) those with a finite number of elements, or (c) those satisfying both conditions. Using Omitting Types Theorem we can extend the completeness result in [19] to fragments obtained from by restricting the semantics to the aforementioned transition algebras. Concretely, given a sound and complete proof system for , we introduce additional proof rules so that the resulting system remains sound and complete for fragments of obtained by restricting the class of transition algebras to those of interest.

Definition 34 (Entailment relation).

An entailment relation is a family of binary relations between sets of sentences ={Σ}Σ|𝖲𝗂𝗀| with the following properties:

(Monotonicity)Φ1Φ2Φ2Φ1 (Transitivity)Φ1Φ2Φ2Φ3Φ1Φ3
(Union)Φ1φ2 for all ϕ2Φ2Φ1Φ2 (Translation)Φ1ΣΦ2χ(Φ1)Σχ(Φ2) where χ:ΣΣ

An entailment relation is sound (complete) if ().

Completeness fails when is closed under and includes uncountable signatures [19, Proposition 15]. Therefore, throughout this section, we assume that the fragment has only countable signatures if it is closed under . Additionally, we assume that is semantically closed under Boolean operators.

Constructor-based algebras.

Many algebraic structures can be naturally described using a set of constructor operators. For instance, numbers can be defined using a constant zero and a unary function symbol succ, while lists can be defined using a constant nil and a binary function symbol cons.

Definition 35 (Constructor-based algebras).

Let Σ=(S,F,L) be a signature and FcF a subset of constructor operators. We let Σc denote the signature of constructors (S,Fc). The constructors create a partition of the set of sorts S.

  1. 1.

    A sort sS that has a constructor – i.e., there exists a constructor (σ:ws)Fc – is called constrained. We denote the set of all constrained sorts by Sc.

  2. 2.

    A sort that is not constrained is called loose. We denote the set of all loose sorts by Sl.

A constructor-based transition algebra 𝔄 is a transition algebra for which there exist (a) a set of loose variable Y={Ys}sSl and (b) an expansion 𝔅 of 𝔄 to Σ[Y], such that 𝔅Σc[Y] is reachable.

Example 36 (Lists).

Let Σ=(S,F) be an algebraic signature such that (a) S={Elt,List}and (b) F={empty:List,_;_:ListEltList,add:ListListList}. Let Fc={empty:List,_;_:ListEltList} be a set of constructors.

  • Elt is a loose sort while List is a constrained sort.

  • Let 𝔄 be a constructor-based algebra obtained from TΣc(ω) by interpreting add as follows: (a) add𝔄(,empty)=, and (b) add𝔄(,;n)=add𝔄(,);n for all lists of natural numbers ,𝔄List and all natural numbers n𝔄Elt.

By refining the syntax with a subset of constructor operators and restricting the semantics to constructor-based transition algebras, we obtain a new logic c from . This restriction in semantics alters the satisfaction relation between sets of sentences: Φcϕ means that all constructor-based transition algebras of Φ are models of ϕ. Consequently, there may exist non-restricted models of Φ that do not satisfy ϕ. In order to obtain an institution, we need to restrict the class of signature morphisms such that the reduct of a constructor-based algebra is again a constructor-based algebra [17, 13, 2]. So, the category of signatures of c has

  1. 1.

    objects of the form (S,FcF,L), where (S,F,L) is a signature in , and

  2. 2.

    signature morphisms of the form χ:(S,FcF,L)(S,FcF,L), where (a) χ:(S,F,L)(S,F,L)is a signature morphism in , (b) constructors are preserved, that is, χ(Fc)Fc, and (c) constructors are reflected, that is, for all σ:wχ(s)Fc there exists σ:wsFc such that χ(σ:ws)=σ:wχ(s).

Finite algebras.

Computer science applications often focus on properties that hold in finite structures. Therefore, we refine the fragment c defined above to include constructor-based transition algebras, where certain distinguished sorts are interpreted as finite sets. Let f be a fragment of c obtained by (a) refining the syntax with a subset of sorts of finite domains, and (b) by restricting constructor-based models such that the sorts for finite domains are interpreted as finite sets. This means that the category of signatures in f has

  1. 1.

    objects of the form (SfS,FcF,L), where (S,FcF,L) is a signature in c, and

  2. 2.

    arrows of the form χ:(SfS,FcF,L)(SfS,FcF,L) such that (a) χ:(S,FcF,L)(S,FcF,L)is a signature morphism in c, and (b) the finite sorts are preserved, that is, χ(Sf)Sf.

Definition 37.

Let be an entailment relation for . The entailment relation f for f is the least entailment relation that includes and it is closed under the following proof rules:

  1. 1.

    (CB)Φfvar(t)ψ(t) for all tTΣc(Y)Φfxψ(x), where (a) xis a variable of constrained sort, (b) Yis a Sl-sorted block of variables such that 𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖽(Ys)=ω for all loose sorts sSl, and (c) var(t)is the set of all variables occuring in t.

  2. 2.

    (FN)Φ{Γn¯}fψ for all n¯ωαΦfψ, where

    1. (a)

      α𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖽(Sf) and {si}i<α is an enumeration of Sf,

    2. (b)

      Γn¯ denotes the set of sentences {γsi,n¯(i)i<α} for all tuples n¯ωα, where

      • n¯(i) is the natural number in position i from n¯, for all tuples n¯ωα and all i<α;

      • γs,n denotes the sentence x1,,xn+1ijxi=xj, for all natural numbers n<ω, all sorts sSf and all variables x1,,xn+1 of sort s.

    Note that γs,n states that the sort s has at most n elements. If n=0 then γ0,s=x1, which is satisfied only by transition algebras whose carrier set for the sort s is empty.

(CB) asserts that to prove the property ψ for an arbitrary element x, it suffices to establish ψ for all constructor terms t in T(S,Fc)(Y). (CB) should be disregarded if the base logic is not closed under first-order quantification. (FN) states that the number of elements of any sort in Sf is finite. It is straightforward to show that f is sound for f provided that is sound for . Establishing completeness is generally more challenging, but it can be achieved with the help of the OTP.

Theorem 38 (Completeness).

The entailment relation f is complete for f if is complete for and has OTP.

10 Conclusions

In this contribution, we focused on two main aspects of 𝖳𝖠. First, we examined its model-theoretic properties, including the Löwenheim-Skolem and Omitting Types properties. Due to its increased expressivity, TA does not possess the Löwenheim-Skolem property. We then developed a semantic forcing property based on recent developments from [19], which enabled us to prove the Löwenheim-Skolem Theorem and the Omitting Types Theorem. Given that the full expressivity of 𝖳𝖠 is not required in many practical case studies, our study was conducted on a fragment of TA that restricts the syntax while preserving the semantics.

Secondly, we explored applications of the Omitting Types Theorem to formal methods. Software engineers often seek a restricted class of models for a given theory, such as constructor-based and/or finite models. We extended the system of proof rules proposed in [19] with new rules that are sound for these models of interest, ensuring that completeness is maintained. This approach provides sound and complete proof rules for fragments of TA obtained by restricting the syntax and/or the semantics.

An interesting future research direction involves developing specification and verification methodologies based on the proof rules we have defined for the fragments of 𝖳𝖠. Additionally, we aim to propose a notion of Horn clauses for 𝖳𝖠, which could make specifications defined in 𝖳𝖠 executable through rewriting or narrowing.

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