Graduate Logic Seminar

The Graduate Logic Seminar is an informal space where graduate students and professors present topics related to logic which are not necessarily original or completed work. This is a space focused principally on practicing presentation skills or learning materials that are not usually presented in a class.

• When: Mondays 4p-5p (unless stated otherwise)
• Where: on line (ask for code).
• Organizers: Jun Le Goh

The talk schedule is arranged at the beginning of each semester. If you would like to participate, please contact one of the organizers.

Sign up for the graduate logic seminar mailing list: join-grad-logic-sem@lists.wisc.edu

Fall 2020 - Tentative schedule

September 14 - Josiah Jacobsen-Grocott

Title: Degrees of points in topological spaces

Abstract: An overview of some results from Takayuki Kihara, Keng Meng Ng, and Arno Pauly in their paper Enumeration Degrees and Non-Metrizable Topology. We will look at a range of topological spaces and the corresponding classes in the enumeration degrees as well as ways in which we can distinguish the type of classes using the separation axioms.

September 28 - James Hanson

Title: The Semilattice of Definable Sets in Continuous Logic

Abstract: After an analysis-free exposition of definable sets in continuous logic, we will present a fun, illustrated proof that any finite bounded lattice can be the poset of definable subsets of $S_1(T)$ for a continuous theory $T$.

October 5 - Tejas Bhojraj from 3:30PM-4:00PM

Title: A Levin-Schnorr type result for Weak Solovay random states.

Abstract: We look at the initial-segment complexity of Weak Solovay quantum random states using MK, a prefix-free version of quantum Kolmogorov complexity. The statement of our result is similar to the Levin-Schnorr theorem in classical algorithmic randomness.

November 9 - Karthik Ravishankar

Title: Elementary submodels in infinite combinatorics

Abstract: The usage of elementary submodels is a simple but powerful method to prove theorems, or to simplify proofs in infinite combinatorics. In the first part of the talk, we quickly cover the basic concepts involved for proving results using elementary submodels, and move on to provide two examples of application of the technique to prove two popular results from set theory: The Delta System lemma and the Fodors Pressing down lemma . We provide both the classical proof as well as a proof using elementary submodels to contrast the two approaches.

November 16 - Karthik Ravishankar

Title: Elementary submodels in infinite combinatorics, part II

Abstract: In the second part of the talk, we give a proof Fodors Pressing down lemma, along with an overview of the slightly larger proof of the Nash Williams theorem which states that a graph is decomposable as a disjoint union of cycles if and only if it has no odd cut.

Tuesday, November 24 - Tonicha Crook (Swansea University) from 9:00AM-10:00AM

Title: The Weihrauch Degree of Finding Nash Equilibria in Multiplayer Games

Abstract: Is there an algorithm that takes a game in normal form as input, and outputs a Nash equilibrium? If the payoffs are integers, the answer is yes, and a lot of work has been done in its computational complexity. If the payoffs are permitted to be real numbers, the answer is no, for continuity reasons. It is worthwhile to investigate the precise degree of non-computability (the Weihrauch degree), since knowing the degree entails what other approaches are available (eg, is there a randomized algorithm with positive success change?). The two player case has already been fully classified, but the multiplayer case remains open and is addressed here. As well as some insight into finding the roots of polynomials, which is essential in our research. An in-depth introduction to Weihrauch Reducibility will be included in the presentation, along with a small introduction to Game Theory.

November 30 - Yvette Ren

Title: Enumeration Degrees and Topology

Abstract: I will introduce three classes of enumeration degrees: co-dcea degrees, telegraph-cototal degrees and cylinder-cototal degrees and discuss the relations between each other. Selected results from Kihara, Pauly, and Ng’s paper Enumeration Degrees and Non-Metrizable Topology and their alternative proofs will be presented.

Previous Years

The schedule of talks from past semesters can be found here.