On monoids, 2-firs, and semifirs. (Q485393)

In this extensive paper, the author discusses and investigates when a monoid ring \(DM\) fulfills a variety of properties related to being a free ideal ring (fir). Here \(D\) is necessarily a division ring. Earlier \textit{F. Cedó} [Publ. Mat., Barc. 33, No. 1, 123-132 (1989; Zbl 0686.20043)] has given an example of a monoid \(M\) that satisfies all the known necessary conditions for \(DM\) to be a semifir, but \(M\) is not a direct limit of monoids which are free products of free monoids and free groups. The author gives alternate descriptions of these necessary conditions, motivates the construction of Cedó's example and constructs a monoid slightly different to the one of Cedó but with the same conclusion. There is a \(\mathbb Z\)-grading on the rings \(DM\) and it is shown that for these two monoids the rings \(DM\) are homogeneous semifirs. A number of results on \(n\)-firs are given which could shed more light on when the rings \(DM\) will be semifirs. Many examples are given to demonstrate the existence of monoids \(M\) which fulfill some but not necessarily all of the seven known conditions for \(DM\) to be a semifir. Throughout the paper, many open questions are given. The paper is concluded with interesting references to formal logic and its meaning for the topics under discussion. For example, the property of a ring being an \(n\)-fir is a first order property, while the condition on a monoid \(M\) that all monoid rings \(DM\) be \(n\)-firs or semifirs is not first-order.