Exercise 3.17 (Scott 1981, PRG-19, §3) — B is a retract of T^∞ #
Using the binary system B (Example 1.B) and the three-element truth system T
(Example 1.2),
Scott asks for a one-one approximable map f : B → T^∞ and a map g : T^∞ → B with
g ∘ f = I_B and f ∘ g ⊑ I_{T^∞},
i.e. B is a retract of T^∞ (f a section, g a retraction). He then asks
whether B ≅ T^∞
and B ≅ T × B (the point of the exercise being that retract ≠ isomorphism here).
The encoding. A binary string σ = b₀b₁…b_{k-1} (a neighbourhood σΣ* of
B) is sent to the
T^∞-neighbourhood encSet σ that pins copy i to the truth value bitNbhd bᵢ
({0} for false,
{1} for true) for i < k, and leaves copies i ≥ k free (Δ_T). Concretely
encSet σ is the
pointwise set {(i, t) ∣ ∀ b, σ[i]? = some b → t ∈ bitNbhd b}.
frelatesσΣ*to everyT^∞-neighbourhood weaker thanencSet σ;grelates aT^∞-neighbourhoodWtoτΣ*exactly whenW ⊆ encSet τ, i.e.Walready pins the first|τ|copies toτ(decoding the longest gap-free prefix).
g ∘ f = I_B (gf_eq_id) — decoding recovers the prefix, the key being
prefix_of_encSet_subset (encSet σ ⊆ encSet τ ⟹ τ prefix σ), which uses that
T-neighbourhoods are
non-empty. f ∘ g ⊑ I_{T^∞} (fg_le_id) holds because re-encoding a decoded
element can only lose
the post-gap information. Hence f is one-one (f_injective).
encSet σ is a T^∞-neighbourhood.
A longer prefix encodes to a smaller set: σ prefix σ' ⟹ encSet σ' ⊆ encSet σ.
Comparability and the prefix recovery lemma. #
Two prefixes that both bound a common non-empty T^∞-neighbourhood agree
where both defined.
Prefix recovery. encSet σ ⊆ encSet τ forces τ to be an initial segment
of σ.