Scale type \((N,N)\) and an order-based topology induced on the automorphism group (Q1599171)

The present paper builds on the Alper-Narens theorem on the possible scale type of a measurement structure \({\mathcal A}=\langle A,\succeq, (R_i)_{i\in I}\rangle\), where \(\succeq\) is a linear order on \(A\) and \(R_i,\;i\in I\) is a finitary relation on the same set. The scale type is formalized as a property of the group \(\Gamma\) of automorphisms on \(A\). Structure \({\mathcal A}\) is homogeneous of degree \(n\) if for any pair of \(\succeq\)-ordered \(n\)-tuples in \(A\) there is \(\alpha\in \Gamma\) which maps the first pair onto the second; and unique of degree \(n\) if there is at most one \(\alpha\in\Gamma\) with this property. The scale type of \({\mathcal A}\) is \((M,N)\) if \(M\) is the maximal degree of homogeneity and \(N\) the minimal degree of uniqueness. For example, ratio scales are of type \((1,1)\) and interval scales are of type \((2,2)\). The remarkable Alper-Narens theorem (from the first half of the 80's) states that for \(A=\mathbb{R}\), any \({\mathcal A}\) with \(M\geq 1\) and \(N<\infty\) must be of types \((1,1),(1,2)\) or \((2,2)\). On the other hand, Cameron in 1989 and Macpherson in 1996 showed that the result does not hold if \(\mathbb{R}\) is replaced by the set of rationals. The present paper is concerned with structures \({\mathcal A}\) of scale type \((N,N)\), on base sets \(A\) which are connected in the order topology (induced by \(\succeq\)). The main result is that for such structures, one necessarily has \(N\leq 2\), in the same vein as the Alper-Narens theorem. The proof shows first that in the case under study the group \(\Gamma\) is a locally compact topological group, and then uses the existing Haar measure on it to conclude. As the author mentions, a direct proof of the result has been obtained by Ovchinnikov shortly after the original one had appeared.