On a characterization of lattices by the betweenness relation --- on a problem of M. Kolibiar (Q1179772)

A ternary relation \(R\) on a lattice \(L\) is called a betweenness relation on \(L\) if \((a,b,c)\in R\) is defined by \((a\land b)\lor(b\land c)=b=(a\lor b)\land(b\lor c)\). \textit{M. Kolibiar} [Z. Math. Logik Grundlagen Math. 4, 89--100 (1958; Zbl 0087.26002)] proved that a ternary relation \(R\) on a set \(L\) is the betweenness relation of some lattice structure on \(L\) iff it satisfies four conditions labeled (A), (B), (C), and (F). These conditions are explicitly described in the current paper, but are too complicated to reproduce here. The point is that Kolibiar proved the independence of the first three conditions, but left open the independence of (F) from the remaining conditions. In the current paper, the question is answered in the affirmative. There are also some interesting results on the question of whether the ternary betweenness relation on (distributive) lattices has a first-order axiomatization.