Fixed points and unfounded chains (Q5939843)

Many classical logic paradoxes are brought about by self-reference, which is deeply connected with fixed point theorems. The so-called Diagonalization Lemma in Peano arithmetic or the fixed point theorem in diagonalizable algebras, for example, allow self-referential constructions and yield classical incompleteness results. However, there are also several paradoxes in which the crucial role is played by an unfounded relation instead of self-reference. In this paper the author investigates ``unfounded chains'', which are a generalization of fixed points and are strongly related to concepts concerning non-wellfounded situations, such as ungrounded sentences, hypergames, and so on, where the above mentioned non-self-referential paradoxes may happen. The author first shows some conditions for a function to enjoy an unfounded chain in the context of general topology, and then discusses functions in the set of (Peano arithmetic) sentences, of which an example of an extensional recursive function without unfounded chain is given. It is also proved that every term in a diagonalizable algebra has an unfounded chain.