We investigate the complexity of a computable Banach space having a Schauder basis, and of related properties, such as the approximation property, and having a local basis structure.

Abstract We study the structure of the c.e. $Q$- and $sQ$-degrees. For both structures, we show that there are join irreducible degrees but no Ahmad pairs. We show that the structures are not distributive, and that the lattice $N_{5}$ embeds in both structures. On the other hand the lattice $M_{5}$ cannot be embedded in the c.e. $sQ$-degrees, but a critical triple can be embedded. Finally, we show that no initial segment of the c.e. $sQ$-degrees or the c.e. $Q$-degrees is a lattice.

Abstract Let K denote prefix-free Kolmogorov complexity, and let $K^A$ denote it relative to an oracle A. We show that for any n, $K^{\emptyset ^{(n)}}$ is definable purely in terms of the unrelativized notion K. It was already known that 2-randomness is definable in terms of K (and plain complexity C) as those reals which infinitely often have maximal complexity. We can use our characterization to show that n-randomness is definable purely in terms of K. To do this we extend a certain “limsup” formula from the literature, and apply Symmetry of Information. This extension entails a novel use of semilow sets, and a more precise analysis of the complexity of $\Delta _2^0$ sets of minimal descriptions.

Abstract We study for each computably bounded $\Pi ^0_1$ class P the set of degrees of c.e. paths in P. We show, amongst other results, that for every c.e. degree a there is a perfect $\Pi ^0_1$ class where all c.e. members have degree a. We also show that every $\Pi ^0_1$ set of c.e. indices is realized in some perfect $\Pi ^0_1$ class, and classify the sets of c.e. degrees which can be realized in some $\Pi ^0_1$ class as exactly those with a computable representation.

Abstract A problem is a multivalued function from a set of instances to a set of solutions . We consider only instances and solutions coded by sets of integers. A problem admits preservation of some computability-theoretic weakness property if every computable instance of the problem admits a solution relative to which the property holds. For example, cone avoidance is the ability, given a noncomputable set A and a computable instance of a problem ${\mathsf {P}}$ , to find a solution relative to which A is still noncomputable. In this article, we compare relativized versions of computability-theoretic notions of preservation which have been studied in reverse mathematics, and prove that the ones which were not already separated by natural statements in the literature actually coincide. In particular, we prove that it is equivalent to admit avoidance of one cone, of $\omega $ cones, of one hyperimmunity or of one non- $\Sigma ^{0}_1$ definition. We also prove that the hierarchies of preservation of hyperimmunity and non- $\Sigma ^{0}_1$ definitions coincide. On the other hand, none of these notions coincide in a nonrelativized setting.

Abstract An oracle A is low-for-speed if it is unable to speed up the computation of a set which is already computable: if a decidable language can be decided in time $t(n)$ using A as an oracle, then it can be decided without an oracle in time $p(t(n))$ for some polynomial p. The existence of a set which is low-for-speed was first shown by Bayer and Slaman who constructed a non-computable computably enumerable set which is low-for-speed. In this paper we answer a question previously raised by Bienvenu and Downey, who asked whether there is a minimal degree which is low-for-speed. The standard method of constructing a set of minimal degree via forcing is incompatible with making the set low-for-speed; but we are able to use an interesting new combination of forcing and full approximation to construct a set which is both of minimal degree and low-for-speed.

Abstract We solve a longstanding question of Soare by showing that if ${\mathbf d}$ is a non-low $_2$ computably enumerable degree then ${\mathbf d}$ contains a c.e. set with no r-maximal c.e. superset.

We introduce a framework for online structure theory. Our approach generalises notions arising independently in several areas of computability theory and complexity theory. We suggest a unifying approach using operators where we allow the input to be a countable object of an arbitrary complexity. We give a new framework which (i) ties online algorithms with computable analysis, (ii) shows how to use modifications of notions from computable analysis, such as Weihrauch reducibility, to analyse finite but uniform combinatorics, (iii) show how to finitize reverse mathematics to suggest a fine structure of finite analogs of infinite combinatorial problems, and (iv) see how similar ideas can be amalgamated from areas such as EX-learning, computable analysis, distributed computing and the like. One of the key ideas is that online algorithms can be viewed as a sub-area of computable analysis. Conversely, we also get an enrichment of computable analysis from classical online algorithms.

Relativizing computations of Turing machines to an oracle is a central concept in the theory of computation, both in complexity theory and in computability theory(!). Inspired by lowness notions from computability theory, Allender introduced the concept of “low for speed” oracles. An oracle A is low for speed if relativizing to A has essentially no effect on computational complexity, meaning that if a decidable language can be decided in time f ( n ) with access to oracle A , then it can be decided in time p o l y ( f ( n ) ) without any oracle. The existence of non-computable such A 's was later proven by Bayer and Slaman, who even constructed a computably enumerable one, and exhibited a number of properties of these oracles. In this paper, we pursue this line of research, answering the questions left by Bayer and Slaman and give further evidence that the class of low for speed oracles is a very rich one.

Abstract We describe punctual categoricity in several natural classes, including binary relational structures and mono-unary functional structures. We prove that every punctually categorical structure in a finite unary language is ${\text {PA}}(0')$ -categorical, and we show that this upper bound is tight. We also construct an example of a punctually categorical structure whose degree of categoricity is $0''$ . We also prove that, with a bit of work, the latter result can be pushed beyond $\Delta ^1_1$ , thus showing that punctually categorical structures can possess arbitrarily complex automorphism orbits. As a consequence, it follows that binary relational structures and unary structures are not universal with respect to primitive recursive interpretations; equivalently, in these classes every rich enough interpretation technique must necessarily involve unbounded existential quantification or infinite disjunction. In contrast, it is well-known that both classes are universal for Turing computability.

Abstract Jockusch showed that 2-generic degrees are downward dense below a 2-generic degree. That is, if a is 2-generic, and $0 < {\bf{b}} < {\bf{a}}$ , then there is a 2-generic g with $0 < {\bf{g}} < {\bf{b}}.$ In the case of 1-generic degrees Kumabe, and independently Chong and Downey, constructed a minimal degree computable from a 1-generic degree. We explore the tightness of these results. We solve a question of Barmpalias and Lewis-Pye by constructing a minimal degree computable from a weakly 2-generic one. While there have been full approximation constructions of ${\rm{\Delta }}_3^0$ minimal degrees before, our proof is rather novel since it is a computable full approximation construction where both the generic and the minimal degrees are ${\rm{\Delta }}_3^0 - {\rm{\Delta }}_2^0$ .

Abstract Recent work of Conidis [3] shows that there is a Turing degree with nonzero effective packing dimension, but which does not contain any set of effective packing dimension 1. This article shows the existence of such a degree below every c.e. array noncomputable degree, and hence that they occur below precisely those of the c.e. degrees which are array noncomputable.

Abstract TheK-trivial sets form an ideal in the Turing degrees, which is generated by its computably enumerable (c.e.) members and has an exact pair below the degree of the halting problem. The question of whether it has an exact pair in the c.e. degrees was first raised in [22, Question 4.2] and later in [25, Problem 5.5.8]. We give a negative answer to this question. In fact, we show the following stronger statement in the c.e. degrees. There exists aK-trivial degreedsuch that for all degreesa, bwhich are notK-trivial anda > d, b > dthere exists a degreevwhich is notK-trivial anda > v, b > v. This work sheds light to the question of the definability of theK-trivial degrees in the c.e. degrees.

Abstract We show the existence of noncomputable oracles which are low for Demuth randomness, answering a question in [15] (also Problem 5.5.19 in [34]). We fully characterize lowness for Demuth randomness using an appropriate notion of traceability. Central to this characterization is a partial relativization of Demuth randomness, which may be more natural than the fully relativized version. We also show that an oracle is low for weak Demuth randomness if and only if it is computable.

Abstract We study inversions of the jump operator on classes, combined with certain basis theorems. These jump inversions have implications for the study of the jump operator on the random degrees—for various notions of randomness. For example, we characterize the jumps of the weakly 2-random sets which are not 2-random, and the jumps of the weakly 1-random relative to 0′ sets which are not 2-random. Both of the classes coincide with the degrees above 0′ which are not 0′-dominated. A further application is the complete solution of [24, Problem 3.6.9]: one direction of van Lambalgen's theorem holds for weak 2-randomness, while the other fails. Finally we discuss various techniques for coding information into incomplete randoms. Using these techniques we give a negative answer to [24, Problem 8.2.14]: not all weakly 2-random sets are array computable. In fact, given any oracle X, there is a weakly 2-random which is not array computable relative to X. This contrasts with the fact that all 2-random sets are array computable.

Abstract We show that Sacks' and Shoenfield's analogs of jump inversion fail for both tt- and wtt-reducibilities in a strong way. In particular we show that there is a δ20 set B >tt ∅′ such that there is no c.e. set A with A′ ≡wttB. We also show that there is a Σ20 set C >tt ∅′ such that there is no δ20 set D with D′ ≡wttC.

Solovay (1975) proved that there exists a computable upper bound~$f$ of the prefix-free Kolmogorov complexity function~$K$ such that $f(x)=K(x)$ for infinitely many~$x$. In this paper, we consider the class of computable functions~$f$ such that $K(x) \leq f(x)+O(1)$ for all~$x$ and $f(x) \leq K(x)+O(1)$ for infinitely many~$x$, which we call Solovay functions. We show that Solovay functions present interesting connections with randomness notions such as Martin-L\"of randomness and K-triviality.

Abstract We solve a longstanding question of Rosenstein, and make progress toward solving a long-standing open problem in the area of computable linear orderings by showing that every computableη-like linear ordering without an infinite stronglyη-like interval has a computable copy without nontrivial computable self-embedding. The precise characterization of those computable linear orderings which have computable copies without nontrivial computable self-embedding remains open.

Parameterized complexity studies a generalization of the notion of polynomial time where, in addition to the overall input size n, one also considers the effects on computational complexity of a secondary measurement, the parameter. The central notion of the field is fixed-parameter tractability (FPT), which refers to solvability in time f(k)nc, where f is some function (usually exponential) of the parameter k, and c is a constant. The subject unfolds in two basic complementary projects and associated mathematical toolkits: (1) How to design (and improve) FPT algorithms, for parameterized problems that admit them and (2) How to gather evidence that a parameterized problem probably does not admit an FPT algorithm. There are several things that one can say about the field, in a general way. ... This Special Issue of surveys of various aspects of parameterized complexity and algorithmics began on the suggestion of the Editor-in-Chief, Fionn Murtagh, who after hearing a broad account of the field at a colloquium at Royal Holloway, University of London, declared, “This is a subject that every computer scientist should know about.”

Abstract A real is called properly n-generic if it is n-generic but not n + 1-generic. We show that every 1-generic real computes a properly 1-generic real. On the other hand, if m > n ≥ 2 then an m-generic real cannot compute a properly n-generic real.

Abstract We prove that there exists a noncomputable c.e. real which is low for weak 2-randomness, a definition of randomness due to Kurtz, and that all reals which are low for weak 2-randomness are low for Martin-Löf randomness.

Following Lutz's approach to effective (constructive) dimension, we define a notion of dimension for individual sequences based on Schnorr's concept(s) of randomness. In contrast to computable randomness and Schnorr randomness, the dimension concepts defined via computable martingales and Schnorr tests coincide, that is, the Schnorr Hausdorff dimension of a sequence always equals its computable Hausdorff dimension. Furthermore, we give a machine characterisation of the Schnorr dimension, based on prefix-free machines whose domain has computable measure. Finally, we show that there exist computably enumerable sets that are Schnorr (computably) irregular: while every c.e. set has Schnorr Hausdorff dimension 0, there are c.e. sets of computable packing dimension 1, which is, from Barzdiņš' Theorem, an impossible property for the case of effective (constructive) dimension. In fact, we prove that every hyperimmune Turing degree contains a set of computable packing dimension 1.

Abstract. Schnorr randomness is a notion of algorithmic randomness for real numbers closely related to Martin-Löf randomness. After its initial development in the 1970s the notion received considerably less attention than Martin-Löf randomness, but recently interest has increased in a range of randomness concepts. In this article, we explore the properties of Schnorr random reals, and in particular the c.e. Schnorr random reals. We show that there are c.e. reals that are Schnorr random but not Martin-Löf random, and provide a new characterization of Schnorr random real numbers in terms of prefix-free machines. We prove that unlike Martin-Löf random c.e. reals, not all Schnorr random c.e. reals are Turing complete, though all are in high Turing degrees. We use the machine characterization to define a notion of “Schnorr reducibility” which allows us to calibrate the Schnorr complexity of reals. We define the class of “Schnorr trivial” reals, which are ones whose initial segment complexity is identical with the computable reals, and demonstrate that this class has non-computable members.

Abstract Given two incomparable c.e. Turing degrees a and b, we show that there exists a c.e. degree c such that c = (a ∪ c) ∩ (b ∪ c), a ∪ c ∣ b ∪ c, and c < a ∪ b.

Abstract A computably enumerable (c.e.) degree is a maximal contiguous degree if it is contiguous and no c.e. degree strictly above it is contiguous. We show that there are infinitely many maximal contiguous degrees. Since the contiguous degrees are definable, the class of maximal contiguous degrees provides the first example of a definable infinite anti-chain in the c.e. degrees. In addition, we show that the class of maximal contiguous degrees forms an automorphism base for the c.e. degrees and therefore for the Turing degrees in general. Finally we note that the construction of a maximal contiguous degree can be modified to answer a question of Walk about the array computable degrees and a question of Li about isolated formulas.

A computably enumerable Turing degree a is called contiguous iff it contains only a single computably enumerable weak truth table degree (Ladner and Sasso [2]). In [1], the authors proved that a nonzero computably enumerable degree a is contiguous iff it is locally distributive, that is, for all a1, a2, c with a1 ∪a2 = a and c ≤ a, there exist ci, ≤ ai with c1 ∪ c2 = c. To do this we supposed that W was a computably enumerable set and ∪ a computably set with a Turing functional Φ such that ΦW = U. Then we constructed computably enumerable sets A0, A1 and B together with functionals Γ0, Γ1, Γ, and Δ so that and so as to satisfy all the requirements below. That is, we built a degree-theoretical splitting A0, A1 of W and a set B ≤TW such that if we cannot beat all possible degree-theoretical splittings V0, V1 of B then we were able to witness the fact that U ≤WW (via Λ). After the proof it was observed that the set U of the proof (page 1222, paragraph 4) needed only to be Δ20. It was then claimed that a consequence to the proof was that every contiguous computably enumerable degree was, in fact, strongly contiguous, in the sense that all (not necessarily computably enumerable) sets of the degree had the same weak truth table degree.

We study effectively given positive reals (more specifically, computably enumerable reals) under a measure of relative randomness introduced by Solovay [manuscript, IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, NY, 1975] and studied by Calude, Hertling, Khoussainov, and Wang [Theoret. Comput. Sci., 255 (2001), pp. 125--149], Calude [Theoret. Comput. Sci., 271 (2002), pp. 3--14], Kucera and Slaman [SIAM J. Comput., 31 (2002), pp. 199--211], and Downey, Hirschfeldt, and LaForte [Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science 2001, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 2001, pp. 316--327], among others. This measure is called domination or Solovay reducibility and is defined by saying that $\alpha$ dominates $\beta$ if there are a constant c and a partial computable function $\varphi$ such that for all positive rationals $q < \alpha$ we have $\varphi(q)\!\downarrow < \beta$ and $\beta- \varphi(q) \leqslant c(\alpha- q)$. The intuition is that an approximating sequence for $\alpha$generates one for $\beta$ whose rate of convergence is not much slower than that of the original sequence. It is not hard to show that if $\alpha$ dominates $\beta$, then the initial segment complexity of $\alpha$ is at least that of $\beta$. In this paper we are concerned with structural properties of the degree structure generated by Solovay reducibility. We answer a natural question in this area of investigation by proving the density of the Solovay degrees. We also provide a new characterization of the random computably enumerable reals in terms of splittings in the Solovay degrees. Specifically, we show that the Solovay degrees of computably enumerable reals are dense, that any incomplete Solovay degree splits over any lesser degree, and that the join of any two incomplete Solovay degrees is incomplete, so that the complete Solovay degree does not split at all. The methodology is of some technical interest, since it includes a priority argument in which the injuries are themselves controlled by randomness considerations.

Abstract We construct the set of the title, answering a question of Cholak, Jockusch. and Slaman [1], and discuss its connections with the study of the proof-theoretic strength and effective content of versions of Ramsey's Theorem. In particular, our result implies that every ω-model of must contain a nonlow set.

Abstract We show that there is a computable Boolean algebra and a computably enumerable ideal I of such that the quotient algebra /I is of Cantor-Bendixson rank 1 and is not isomorphic to any computable Boolean algebra. This extends a result of L. Feiner and is deduced from Feiner's result even though Feiner's construction yields a Boolean algebra of infinite Cantor-Bendixson rank.

Abstract We construct a degree which fails to be computably enumerable in any computably enumerable set strictly below .

The parametrized complexity of a number of fundamental problems in the theory of linear codes and integer lattices is explored. Concerning codes, the main results are that MAXIMUM-LIKELIHOOD DECODING and WEIGHT DISTRUBUTION are hard for the parametrized complexity class W[1]. The NP-completeness of these two problems was established by Berlekamp, McEliece, and van Tilborg in 1978 using by means of a reduction from THREE-DIMENSIONAL MATCHING. On the other hand, our proof of hardness for W[1] is based on a parametric polynomial-time transformation from PERFECT CODE in graphs. An immediate consequence of our results is that bounded-distance decoding is likely to be hard for binary linear codes. Concerning lattices, we address the THETA SERIES problem of determining for an integer lattice $\L$ %given by a set of generators, and a positive integer k whether there is a vector $x \in \L$ of Euclidean norm k. We prove here for the first time that THETA SERIES is NP-complete and show that it is also hard for W[1]. Furthermore, we prove that the NEAREST VECTOR problem for integer lattices is hard for W[1]. These problems are the counterparts of WEIGHT DISTRUBUTION and MAXIMUM-LIKELIHOOD DECODING for lattices. Relations between all these problems and combinatorial problems in graphs are discussed.

Ladner (1975) showed that there are no minimal recursive sets under polynomial-time reductions. Given any recursive set A, Ladner constructs a set B such that B strictly reduces to A but B does not lie in P. The set B does have very long sequences of input lengths of easily computable instances. We examine whether Ladner's results hold if we restrict ourselves to "uniformly hard languages" which have no long sequences of easily computable instances. Under a hard to disprove assumption, we show that there exists a minimal recursive uniformly hard set under honest many-one polynomial-time reductions.

We investigate the relationship of (jumps of) the degrees of splittings of a computably enumerable set and the degree of the set. We prove that there is a high computably enumerable set whose only proper splittings are low2.

We prove that the theory of EXPTIME degrees with respect to polynomial time Turing and many-one reducibility is undecidable. To do so we use a coding method based on ideal lattices of Boolean algebras which is introduced A. Nies. The method can be applied in fact to all hyper-polynomial time classes.

Abstract We prove that a (recursively) enumerable degree is contiguous iff it is locally distributive. This settles a twenty-year old question going back to Ladner and Sasso. We also prove that strong contiguity and contiguity coincide, settling a question of the first author, and prove that no m-topped degree is contiguous, settling a question of the first author and Carl Jockusch [11]. Finally, we prove some results concerning local distributivity and relativized weak truth table reducibility.

Many computational problems in biology involve parameters for which a small range of values cover important applications. We argue that for many problems in this setting, parameterized computational complexity rather than NP-completeness is the appropriate tool for studying apparent intractability. At issue in the theory of parameterized complexity is whether a problem can be solved in time O(n alpha) for each fixed parameter value, where alpha is a constant independent of the parameter. In addition to surveying this complexity framework, we describe a new result for the Longest Common Subsequence problem. In particular, we show that the problem is hard for W[t] for all t when parameterized by the number of strings and the size of the alphabet. Lower bounds on the complexity of this basic combinatorial problem imply lower bounds on more general sequence alignment and consensus discovery problems. We also describe a number of open problems pertaining to the parameterized complexity of problems in computational biology where small parameter values are important.

The primary relation studied in recursion theory is that of relative complexity: A set or function A (of natural numbers) is reducible to one B if, given access to information about B, we can compute A. The primary reducibility is that of Turing, A ≤TB, where arbitrary (Turing) machines, φe, can be used; access to information about (the oracle) B is unlimited and the lengths of computations are potentially unbounded. Many other interesting reducibilities result from restricitng one or more of these facets of the procedure. Thus, for example, the strongest notion considered is one-one reducibility on sets: A ≤1B iff there is a one-one recursive (= effective) function f such that x Є A ⇔ f(x) Є B. Many-one (≤m) reducibility simply allows f to be many-one. Other intermediate reducibilities include truth-table (≤tt) and weak truth-table (≤wtt). The latter imposes a recursive bound f(x) on the information about B that can be used to compute A(x). The former also bounds the length of computations by requiring that the computation of A(x) from B halt in at most f(x) many steps. Each such reducibility r defines a notion of degree, degr(A) = {B : A ≤rB ∧ B ≤rA}, and a corresponding structure of the r-degrees ordered by r-reducibility. (We typically denote the degree of A by a.) A major theme in recursion theory has been the investigation of the relation between a set's place in these orderings (the algebraic properties of its degree) and other algorithmic, set-theoretic or definability type notions of complexity. Important examples of such other notions include rates of growth of functions, the types of approximation procedures which converge to the given function or set and the (syntactic) complexity of defining the set (or function) in arithmetic or analysis.

For many fixed-parameter problems that are trivially soluable in polynomial time, such as $(k\text{-})$ DOMINATING SET, essentially no better algorithm is presently known than the one which tries all possible solutions. Other problems, such as $(k\text{-})$ FEEDBACK VERTEX SET, exhibit fixed-parameter tractability: for each fixed k the problem is soluable in time bounded by a polynomial of degree c, where c is a constant independent of k. We establish the main results of a completeness program which addresses the apparent fixed-parameter intractability of many parameterized problems. In particular, we define a hierarchy of classes of parameterized problems $FPT \subseteq W[1] \subseteq W[2] \subseteq \cdots \subseteq W[SAT] \subseteq W [P]$ and identify natural complete problems for $W[t]$ for $t \geq 2$. (In other papers we have shown many problems complete for $W[1]$.) DOMINATING SET is shown to be complete for $W[2]$, and thus is not fixed-parameter tractable unless INDEPENDENT SET, CLIQUE, IRREDUNDANT SET, and many other natural problems in $W[2]$ are also fixed-parameter tractable. We also give a compendium of currently known hardness results as an appendix.

A reducibility ≤p is a procedure whereby a set A can be computed from a set B. The most general and most extensively studied reducibility is Turing reducibility (≤T). However, when one analyzes effectiveness considerations in classical mathematics, one often discovers that the relevant reducibilities are stronger (i.e., more restrictive) than ≤T. To illustrate, in combinatorial group theory we find that the word problem is many-one reducible to the conjugacy problem, and that word problems occur in each r.e. truth table (tt-) degree (see, for example, Miller [17]). In the present paper we are concerned with another strong reducibility: weak truth table (wtt-) reducibility. Here the reader should recall that A ≤wtt, β means that there is a procedure Φ and a recursive function φ such that Φ(β) = A and for all x, the u(Φ(β; X)) < φ (x). That is, the amount of information used in the computation is bounded by φ. The critical difference between truth table and weak truth table reducibilities is that for tt we will at once be “given the whole table.” Thus if Δ is a tt-procedure and δ is its use, then for all x and all strings σ of length δ(x) we can figure out Δ(σ; x). On the other hand if Δ is merely a wtt-procedure it may be that for some string σ, Δ(σ; x)↓, whilst for another string μ of the same length it may be that Δ{μ; x) ↑. We remark that wtt-reducibility arises very naturally both in effective algebra and in the structure of the r.e. T-degrees R. The reader should see, for instance, Downey and Remmel [3], where it is shown that the complexity of r.e. bases of an r.e. vector space V is characterised precisely by the wtt-degrees below V, and also Ladner and Sasso [14] or Downey [1], where the wtt-degrees are used to investigate cupping and capping in R.

We describe three applications in computational learning theory

Abstract The main result of this paper is to show that for every recursive ordinal α ≠ 0 and for every nonrecursive r.e. degree d there is a r.e. set of rank α and degree d.

Most theories of learning consider inferring a function f from either (1) observations about f or, (2) questions about f. We consider a scenario whereby the learner observes fand asks queries to some set A. EX[A] is the set of concept classes EX-learnable by an inductive inference machine with oracle A. A and F are EX-equivalent if EX[A] = EX[B]. The equivalence classes induced are the degrees of inferability. We prove several results about these degrees: (1) There are an uncountable number of degrees. (2) For A r.e., REC e BC[A] iff O'' ≤T A´, and there is evidence this holds for all sets A. (3) For A, B r.e., A ≡T B iff EX[A] = EX[B]. (4) There exists A, B low2 r.e., A|RB, EX[A] = EX[B]. (hence (3) is optimal).

In [1], Degtëv constructed a nonzero r.e. tt-degree containing a single r.e. m-degree. It is not difficult to construct an r.e. tt-degree containing infinitely many r.e. m-degrees (Fischer [6]); indeed, in [3], the author constructed an r.e. tt-degree with no greatest r.e. m-degree. Odifreddi [12, Problem 10] asked if every r.e. tt-degree contains either one or infinitely many r.e. m-degrees. The goal of this paper is to solve Odifreddi's question by showing: Theorem. There exists a nonzero r.e. tt-degree containing exactly 3 r.e. m-degrees. This theorem can be extended to show that there exist r.e. tt-degrees with arbitrarily large finite numbers of r.e. m-degrees. We remark that save for the aforementioned results, very little is known about the structures that can be realized as the collection of r.e. m-degrees within an r.e. tt-degree. It seems conceivable that the methods of the present paper may be useful in, for example, embedding distributive (semi) lattices into such structures. In part II of this paper [4], we continue our analysis of r.e. m- and tt-degrees. We define an r.e. tt-degree to be singular if it contains a single r.e. m-degree, and an r.e. T-degree a to be singular if a contains a singular r.e. tt-degree. In [4] we study the distribution (in the r.e. T-degrees) of singular tt-degrees. We show that 0′T is singular (solving a question of Odifreddi [11]), and that the singular T-degrees are dense, but also we construct a nonsingular T-degree. The techniques used for the first results extend those of §2 of the present paper.

As Dekker [3] suggested, certain fragments of the isols can exhibit an arithmetic rather more resembling that of the natural numbers than the general isols do. One such natural fragment is Barback's “tame models” (cf. [2], [6] and [7]), whose roots go back to Nerode [8]. In this paper we study another variety of such fragments: the hyper-torre isols introduced by Ellentuck [4]. Let Y denote an infinite isol with D(Y) the collection of all isols A ≤ f∧(Y) for some recursive and combinational unary function f. (Here, as usual, f∧ is the Myhill-Nerode extension of f to the isols).

A pair of r.e. sets A1, A2 are said to split an r.e. set A (written A1 Δ A2 = A) if A1 ∩ A2 = ∅ and A1 ∪ A2 = A. In the literature there are various results asserting certain splitting properties hold for all r.e. sets. For example Sacks' splitting theorem (cf. [So]) asserts that an r.e. nonrecursive set A may be split into a pair of Turing incomparable r.e. sets A1, A2, and Lachlan's splitting theorem [La5] asserts that A may be split into a pair of r.e. sets A1, A2 for which there exists an r.e. set B with B ⊕ A1, B ⊕ A2

An infinite-dimensional vector space V∞ over a recursive field F is called fully effective if V∞ is a recursive set identified with ω upon which the operations of vector addition and scalar multiplication are recursive functions, identity is a recursive relation, and V∞ has a dependence algorithm, that is a uniformly effective procedure which when applied to x, a1,…,an, ∈ V∞ determines whether or not x is an element of {a1,…,an}* (the subspace generated by {a1,…,an}). The study of V∞, and of its lattice of r.e. subspaces L(V∞), was introduced in Metakides and Nerode [15]. Since then both V∞ and L(V∞) (and many other effective algebraic systems) have been studied quite intensively. The reader is directed to [5] and [17] for a good bibliography in this area, and to [15] for any unexplained notation and terminology. In [15] Metakides and Nerode observed that a study of L(V∞) may in some ways be modelled upon a study of L(ω), the lattice of r.e. sets. For example, they showed how an e-state construction could be modified to produce an r.e. maximal subspace, where M ∈ L(V∞) is maximal if dim(V∞/M) = ∞ and, for all W ∈ L(V∞), if W ⊃ M then either dim(W/M) < ∞ or dim(V∞/W) < ∞. However, some of the most interesting features of L(V∞) are those which do not have analogues in L(ω). Our concern here, which is probably one of the most striking characteristics of L(V∞), falls into this category. We say M ∈ L(V∞) is supermaximal if dim(V∞/M) = ∞ and for all W ∈ L(V∞), if W ⊃ M then dim(W/M) < ∞ or W = V∞. These subspaces were discovered by Kalantari and Retzlaff [13].

Abstract A subspace V of an infinite dimensional fully effective vector space V∞ is called decidable if V is r.e. and there exists an r.e. W such that V ⊕ W = V∞. These subspaces of V∞ are natural analogues of recursive subsets of ω. The set of r.e. subspaces forms a lattice L(V∞) and the set of decidable subspaces forms a lower semilattice S(V∞). We analyse S(V∞) and its relationship with L(V∞). We show: Proposition. Let U, V, W ∈ L(V∞) where U is infinite dimensional andU ⊕ V = W. Then there exists a decidable subspace D such that U ⊕ D = W. Corollary. Any r.e. subspace can be expressed as the direct sum of two decidable subspaces. These results allow us to show: Proposition. The first order theory of the lower semilattice of decidable subspaces, Th(S(V∞), is undecidable. This contrasts sharply with the result for recursive sets. Finally we examine various generalizations of our results. In particular we analyse S*(V∞), that is, S(V∞) modulo finite dimensional subspaces. We show S*(V∞) is not a lattice.

Abstract We examine the multiplicity of complementation amongst subspaces ofV∞. A subspaceVis acomplementof a subspaceWifV∩W= {0} and (V∪W)* =V∞. A subspace is calledfully co-r.e.if it is generated by a co-r.e. subset of a recursive basis ofV∞. We observe that every r.e. subspace has a fully co-r.e. complement. Theorem.If S is any fully co-r.e. subspace then S has a decidable complement. We give an analysis of other types of complementsSmay have. For example, ifSis fully co-r.e. and nonrecursive, thenShas a (nonrecursive) r.e. nowhere simple complement. We impose the condition of immunity upon our subspaces. Theorem.SupposeVis fully co-r.e. ThenVis immune iff there exist M1,M2∈L(V∞),with M1supermaximal and M2k-thin, such that M1, ⊕V=M2⊕V=V∞. Corollary.SupposeVis any r.e. subspace with a fully co-r.e. immune complement W(e.g.,Vis maximal orVis h-immune). Then there exist an r.e. supermaximal subspace M and a decidable subspace D such thatV⊕W=M⊕W=D⊕W=V∞. We indicate how one may obtain many further results of this type. Finally we examine a generalization of the concepts of immunity and soundness. A subspaceVofV∞isnowhere soundif (i) for allQ ∈ L(V∞)ifQ⊃VthenQ =V∞, (ii)Vis immune and (iii) every complement ofVis immune. We analyse the existence (and ramifications of the existence) of nowhere sound spaces.

One of the most interesting concepts arising from the study ofL(V∞), the lattice of r.e. subspaces of afully effectivevector space of infinite dimension (cf. [6], [7] or [10]), was that of asupermaximalsubspace. Supermaximal subspaces ofV∞were those with the fewest possible r.e. superspaces, that is, we sayM∈L(L∞) issupermaximalif dim(V∞/M) = ∞ and for allQ∈L(V∞) withQ⊇M, either dim(Q/M) < ∞ orQ=V∞. These spaces were particularly interesting because they had no natural analogue inL(ω), the lattice of r.e. sets. Later Metakides and Nerode [8], Baldwin [1] and the author [2] found that supermaximalsubstructuresoccurred in more general settings. In particular, they were found to occur inL(F∞), the lattice of r.e. algebraically closed subfields ofF∞(a recursively presented field of infinite transcendence degree) (cf. [3]). The main tool in these later papers was the concept of aSteinitz (closure) system with recursive dependence(cf. [1], [2], [4] or [8]). We assume familiarity with the definitions and basic results of Metakides and Nerode [8], and only give a brief sketch of some nonstandard facts in §2. If the reader is not familiar with Steinitz systems he is advised to either obtain [1] or [2], or simply identify aSteinitz system(U, cl) with (V∞, *), that is, he should identifyUwithV∞, and cl(A) withA*, the subspace generated byA.

Let V∞ be a fully effective infinite dimensional vector space over a recursive field F. That is, we assume that the universe of V∞ is a recursive set, the operations of addition and scalar multiplication are recursive, and there is a uniform effective procedure to decide whether any finite set {υ0, …, υn} of vectors from V∞ is independent. The lattice of recursively enumerable subspaces has been extensively studied since its introduction by Metakides and Nerode [MN1] (see for example, [Do2], [Gu], [KR], [Re1], [Re2], and [Sh]). For those unfamiliar with the literature on , we shall give a list of basic definitions required for this paper in §0. It is well known that complements in V∞ are not unique. For example, in [Re2] Remmel constructed r.e. spaces M1 and M2 and co-r.e. spaces Q1 and Q2 such that for all i, j ∈ {1, 2}, Mi ⊕ Qj = V∞ and M1 is supermaximal, M2 is not maximal, Q1 has a fully extendible basis, and Q2 has no extendible basis. We say a subspace Q of V∞ is fully co-r.e. if Q is generated by a co-r.e. subset of some recursive basis of V∞. Downey [Do2] has shown that every r.e. subspace of V∞ has a complement which is a fully co-r.e. subspace. Moreover suppose Q is any fully co-r.e. subspace, say Q = (C)* where C is a co-r.e. subset of a recursive basis B of V∞; if C is nonrecursive, then it is shown in [Do2] that Q has a decidable complement as well as a nondecidable nowhere simple complement.