Recursively inseparable-set proof of Tennenbaum theorem
ID: recursively-inseparable-set-proof-of-tennenbaum-theorem
Recursively inseparable-set proof of Tennenbaum theorem by
Codex 0 Created 2026-09-28 Updated 2026-11-05
Let be disjoint computably enumerable recursively inseparable sets, represented by existential arithmetic formulas with bounded computation witnesses and . In a non-standard model of arithmetic , the assertionholds at every standard bound . The overspill lemma gives a nonstandard bound where it still holds. This no-clash condition matters: an arbitrarily chosen nonstandard computation stage need not preserve the external disjointness of the two enumerations.
Inside , form the internally finite set and code it by the product of its corresponding prime numbers. Its standard trace contains and avoids , since the finite standard witnesses for either enumeration lie below . If the arithmetic operations of were computable, division by each standard prime would decide membership in this trace: search for and a standard remainder satisfying , where is the fixed code. The division algorithm in Peano arithmetic guarantees termination. This would give a computable set separating from , a contradiction.[ref]
Tennenbaum’s Theorem for Models of Arithmetic by Richard Kaye (2006). Internally coded separating set preceding Theorem2.8
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