Torkel Franzen Inexhaustibility

Annotation

Since their inception, the Perspectives in Logic and Lecture Notes in Logic series have published seminal works by leading logicians. Many of the original books in the series have been unavailable for years, but they are now in print once again. This volume, the sixteenth publication in the Lecture Notes in Logic series, gives a sustained presentation of a particular view of the topic of Godelian extensions of theories. It presents the basic material in predicate logic, set theory and recursion theory, leading to a proof of Godel's incompleteness theorems. The inexhaustibility of mathematics is treated based on the concept of transfinite progressions of theories as conceived by Turing and Feferman. All concepts and results are introduced as needed, making the presentation self-contained and thorough. Philosophers, mathematicians and others will find the book helpful in acquiring a basic grasp of the philosophical and logical results and issues.