Two variable first-order logic over ordered domains

Abstract

AbstractThe satisfiability problem for the two-variable fragment of first-order logic is investigated over finite and infinite linearly ordered, respectively wellordered domains, as well as over finite and infinite domains in which one or several designated binary predicates are interpreted as arbitrary wellfounded relations.It is shown that FO2 over ordered, respectively wellordered. domains or in the presence of one well-founded relation, is decidable for satisfiability as well as for finite satisfiability. Actually the complexity of these decision problems is essentially the same as for plain unconstrained FO2. namely non-deterministic exponential time.In contrast FO2 becomes undecidable for satisfiability and for finite satisfiability, if a sufficiently large number of predicates are required to be interpreted as orderings. wellorderings. or as arbitrary wellfounded relations. This undecidability result also entails the undecidability of the natural common extension of FO2 and computation tree logic CTL.