## Bulletin of Symbolic Logic

### Reverse mathematics and $\Pi_{2}^{1}$ comprehension

#### Abstract

We initiate the reverse mathematics of general topology. We show that a certain metrization theorem is equivalent to $\Pi_{2}^{1}$ comprehension. An MF space is defined to be a topological space of the form MF($P$) with the topology generated by {$N_p \,| \,p \in P$}. Here $P$ is a poset, MF($P$) is the set of maximal filters on $P$, and $N_p =${$F \in \rm{MF}(P)| p \in F$}. If the poset $P$ is countable, the space MF($P$) is said to be countably based. The class of countably based MF spaces can be defined and discussed within the subsystem $\mathsf{ACA}_0$ of second order arithmetic. One can prove within $\mathsf{ACA}_0$ that every complete separable metric space is homeomorphic to a countably based MF space which is regular. We show that the converse statement, "every countably based MF space which is regular is homeomorphic to a complete separable metric space," is equivalent to $\Pi_{2}^{1}-\mathsf{CA}_0$ The equivalence is proved in the weaker system $\Pi_{1}^{1}-\mathsf{CA}_0$. This is the first example of a theorem of core mathematics which is provable in second order arithmetic and implies $\Pi_{2}^{1}$ comprehension.

#### Article information

Source
Bull. Symbolic Logic, Volume 11, Issue 4 (2005), 526-533.

Dates
First available in Project Euclid: 26 October 2005

Permanent link to this document
https://projecteuclid.org/euclid.bsl/1130335208

Digital Object Identifier
doi:10.2178/bsl/1130335208

Mathematical Reviews number (MathSciNet)
MR2198712

Zentralblatt MATH identifier
1106.03050

#### Citation

Mummert, Carl; Simpson, Stephen G. Reverse mathematics and $\Pi_{2}^{1}$ comprehension. Bull. Symbolic Logic 11 (2005), no. 4, 526--533. doi:10.2178/bsl/1130335208. https://projecteuclid.org/euclid.bsl/1130335208