Search arXiv⌕ Search
Home/Archive/arXiv

arXiv · 2508.20849

An approximate zero-one law via the Dialectica interpretation

Thomas Powell·Alex Wan
View original source ↗Read source document ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

Zero-one laws state that probabilistic events of a certain type must occur with probability either $0$ or $1$, and nothing in between. We formulate a syntactic zero-one law, which enjoys good logical properties while being broadly applicable in probability theory. Then, inspired by Gödel's Dialectica interpretation, we finitise it: The result is an approximate zero-one law which states that events with a particular finite structure occur with probability close to $0$ or $1$ up to an arbitrary degree of precision. This approximate zero-one law is equivalent - over classical logic - to the original zero-one law, but in contrast to the latter, is formulated entirely in terms of finite unions and intersections of events. Furthermore, in line with recent logical metatheorems for probability, it admits a computational interpretation, which in turn facilitates a quantitative analysis of theorems whose proof makes use of zero-one laws. Concrete applications in this spirit, over a variety of different settings, are discussed.

Explore related subjects

math.LOmath.PR

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Thomas Powell, Alex Wan. 2025-08-28. An approximate zero-one law via the Dialectica interpretation. https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.20849

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related papers

arXiv2026

Bluebirds and mockingbirds cannot produce a fixed-point combinator

Let $B$ be the bluebird combinator with reduction rule $Bxyz \to_{w} x\left(yz\right)$, let $M$ be the mockingbird combinator with reduction rule $Mx \to_{w} xx$, and let $I$ be the identity bird combinator with reduction rule $Ix \to_{w} x$. A fixed-point combinator, called a sage bird by Smullyan, is a closed term $Y$ such that, for a fresh variable $x$, $Yx$ is equivalent to $x\left(Yx\right)$ under these reduction rules. For a fixed variable $x$, we construct an invariant $\mathrm{Tr}_{x}\left(u\right)$ of a $BMI$-term $u$ with respect to $\to_{w}$. This invariant traces the occurrences of $x$ in the leftmost-innermost reduction sequence of $u$. We then prove that $\mathrm{Tr}_{x}\left(Yx\right) \neq \mathrm{Tr}_{x}\left(x^{r}\left( Yx \right)\right)$ for every $x$-free $BMI$-term $Y$ and every $r\geq 1$. Consequently, there exists no fixed-point combinator in $BMI$-combinatory logic. This provides a negative answer to the problem posed by Smullyan in 1985.

math.LO↗
arXiv2026

Pointwise provable equality and the failure of composition

Montagna (1989) and Di Paola--Montagna (1991) claim that the algebraic systems $S'$ and $S'_T$, respectively, are categories. We show that the proposed composition is not independent of the choice of representatives. For every consistent recursively enumerable extension $T$ of Peano arithmetic ($\mathrm{PA}$), we exhibit two program indices that are pointwise provably equal in $T$ but yield inequivalent composites when each is run after the same program. Montagna's $S'$ is the case $T=\mathrm{PA}$. The failure already occurs for partial maps from $ω$ to itself. Weak totality and the proposed range assignment also depend on the choice of representatives. More generally, for consistent $T\supseteq\mathrm{PA}$, pointwise provable equality is a composition congruence exactly when $T$ proves every true $Π^0_1$ sentence, in which case it is extensional equality. This completeness condition fails for every consistent recursively enumerable $T\supseteq\mathrm{PA}$ by Gödel's second incompleteness theorem. For every extension $T\supseteq\mathrm{PA}$, the least composition congruence containing pointwise provable equality is extensional equality if $T$ is $Σ^0_1$-sound and the universal relation otherwise.

math.LO↗
arXiv2026

Compactness via Consistency Properties

We will use consistency properties to characterize strongly compact cardinals, first showing an adequate Model Existence Theorem for larger fragments.

math.LO↗