Past exam of the model theory and Gödel's incompleteness theorems course of the University of Oxford / 2009 / A / 2 / c / Solution

The literal semantic hypothesis is insufficient: a semantic Gödel fixed point need not be canonical. A sentence can be false and provable in a consistent, unsound arithmetic theory, in which case both sides of the stipulated semantic biconditional can be false.

For a concrete counterexample, assume PA is consistent and set $S=\mathrm{PA}+\neg {\mathrm{Con}}_{\mathrm{PA}}$. Gödel's second incompleteness theorem makes this extension consistent: otherwise PA would prove its own consistency. It is still bounded-complete. Use ordinary numeralwise proof and refutation enumerators for this recursively axiomatized theory, and take $G=\neg {\mathrm{Con}}_{\mathrm{PA}}$. This $G$ is false in the standard natural numbers but is an axiom of $S$. Since it is provable, $\exists yP(┌G┐,y)$ is true; its negation is false. Thus the semantic fixed-point biconditional required in this part is true, with both sides false.

Choose $R$ by the usual canonical Rosser construction for these proof matrices. Its undecidability follows from the preceding parts, and it is a true ${\Pi }_1$ sentence: if it were false, its true ${\Sigma }_1$ negation would be provable in this bounded-complete theory, contradicting undecidability. Hence $G$ is false and $R$ true, so their proposed semantic equivalence is false. This counterexample meets the literal assumptions and does not exploit a missing source page.

Under the intended canonical ${\Pi }_1$ Gödel/Rosser convention, the expected answer does hold. Consistency plus bounded completeness implies ${\Pi }_1$ soundness: a false ${\Pi }_1$ theorem has a standard bounded counterexample whose negation the theory proves. If canonical $G$ were false, its truth fixed point would make it provable, contradicting this soundness; thus $G$ is true. Canonical $R$ is true by the preceding ${\Sigma }_1$-negation argument, so both canonical sentences are true and their equivalence is true. This last conclusion needs that canonical construction or an equivalent additional restriction; truth of a biconditional alone does not supply it.