A uniform Birkhoff theorem

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Abstract

Birkhoff’s HSP theorem characterizes the classes of models of algebraic theories as those being closed with respect to homomorphic images, subalgebras, and products. In particular, it implies that an algebra B satisfies all equations that hold in an algebra A of the same signature if and only if B is a homomorphic image of a subalgebra of a (possibly infinite) direct power of A. The former statement is equivalent to the existence of a natural map sending term functions of the algebra A to those of B—the natural clone homomorphism. The study of continuity properties of natural clone homomorphisms has been initiated recently by Bodirsky and Pinsker for locally oligomorphic algebras. Revisiting the argument of Bodirsky and Pinsker, we show that for any algebra B in the variety generated by an algebra A, the induced natural clone homomorphism is uniformly continuous if and only if every finitely generated subalgebra of B is a homomorphic image of a subalgebra of a finite power of A. Based on this observation, we study the question as to when Cauchy continuity of natural clone homomorphisms implies uniform continuity. We introduce the class of almost locally finite algebras, which encompasses all locally oligomorphic as well as all locally finite algebras, and show that, in case A is almost locally finite, then the considered natural homomorphism is uniformly continuous if (and only if) it is Cauchy-continuous. In particular, this provides a locally finite counterpart of the result by Bodirsky and Pinsker. Along the way, we also discuss some peculiarities of oligomorphic permutation groups on uncountable sets.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)337-354
Number of pages18
JournalAlgebra universalis
Volume78
Issue number3
Publication statusPublished - 1 Nov 2017
Peer-reviewedYes

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