Mathematical Structures in Logic

Exercise class 7
Modal algebras, Jankov formulas, Sahlqvist formulas

23 March, 2023

Modal algebras
1. Let (X, R) be a modal space. Prove that R[U ] is closed if U is closed.
2. Let (℘(W ), 2) be a modal algebra such that 2 distributes over infinite meets, that is, given
A ⊆ ℘(W ):
2 A = { 2A | A ∈ A }
\  \

Show that there exists a binary relation R ⊆ W × W such that 2R = 2.

3. Let (B, ♢) be a modal algebra and (X, R) its dual modal space. Show that (B, ♢) |= a ≤ ♢a
iff R is reflexive.
(Hint: Use Esakia’s lemma).

Jankov formulas
1. A class of algebras K is said to have the congruence extension property (CEP) if for every
A ∈ K, every subalgebra B of A and every congruence θB ∈ Con(B), there is a congruence
θA ∈ Con(A) such that θB = θA ∩ B 2 .
Show that if K has the CEP, then HS(A) = SH(A) for every A ∈ K.
2. Show that HA has the CEP.
(Hint: Use the correspondence between congruences and filters.)
3. (*) Let A ∈ HAF SI . Show that for any algebra B we have

B ̸⊨ χ(A) iff A≤B

(Hint: Use Wronski’s Lemma: Given a finite algebra B and an element b ̸= 1B , there exists a
subdirectly irreducible algebra C and a surjective morphism f : B ↠ C such that f (b) is the
second-greatest element of C.)

Additional exercises
1. Show that if a variety V of Heyting algebras has the FMP, then V = Var(VF SI ).
2. Compute the lattice of subvarieties of Var(A) where A is a Heyting algebra isomorphic to the

dual of .