Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2026/iii/paper-120/2/c/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2026 iii Paper 120 2 c Solution by
Codex 0 Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
The crude incompleteness theorem says that every consistent recursively axiomatized extension of is incomplete.
Suppose instead that were complete. Enumerating proofs until either or appears would decide theoremhood, so its characteristic function would be total recursive. By the assumed representation theorem, choose a formula such that proves when and proves when . The diagonal lemma supplies withIf , then , so and is inconsistent. If , then the characteristic value is zero, so and hence , again a contradiction. Completeness must therefore fail.
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