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# Biologic

## 1 Introduction

This paper concentrates on relationships of formal systems with biology. In particular, this is a study of different forms and formalisms for replication.

In living systems there is an essential circularity that is the living structure. Living systems produce themselves from themselves and the materials and energy of the environment. There is a strong contrast in how we avoid circularity in mathematics and how nature revels in biological circularity. One meeting point of biology and mathematics is knot theory and topology. This is no accident, since topology is indeed a controlled study of cycles and circularities in primarily geometrical systems.

In this paper we will discuss DNA replication, logic and biology, the relationship of symbol and object, the emergence of form. It is in the replication of DNA that the polarity (yes/no, on/off, true/false) of logic and the continuity of topology meet. Here polarities are literally fleshed out into the forms of life.

We shall pay attention to the different contexts for the logical, from the mathematical to the biological to the quantum logical. In each case there is a shift in the role of certain key concepts. In particular, we follow the notion of copying through these contexts and with it gain new insight into the role of replication in biology, in formal systems and in the quantum level (where it does not exist!).

In the end we arrive at a summary formalism, a chapter in boundary mathematics (mathematics using directly the concept and notation of containers and delimiters of forms - compare  and ) where there are not only containers $`<>`$, but also extainers $`><`$ – entities open to interaction and distinguishing the space that they are not. In this formalism we find a key for the articulation of diverse relationships. The boundary algebra of containers and extainers is to biologic what boolean algebra is to classical logic. Let $`C=<>`$ and $`E=><`$ then $`EE=><><=>C<`$ and $`CC=<><>=<E>`$ Thus an extainer produces a container when it interacts with itself, and a container produces an extainer when it interacts with itself.

The formalism of containers and extainers is a chapter in the foundations of a symbolic language for shape and interaction. With it, we can express the form of DNA replication succinctly as follows: Let the DNA itself be represented as a container

$$\text{DNA}=<>.$$

We regard the two brackets of the container as representatives for the two matched DNA strands. We let the extainer $`E=><`$ represent the cellular environment with its supply of available base pairs (here symbolized by the individual left and right brackets). Then when the DNA strands separate, they encounter the matching bases from the environment and become two DNA’s.

$$\text{DNA}=<><E><><>=\text{DNA}\text{DNA}.$$

Life itself is about systems that search and learn and become. Perhaps a little symbol like $`E=><`$ with the property that $`EE=><><`$ produces containers $`<>`$ and retains its own integrity in conjunction with the autonomy of $`<>`$ (the DNA) could be a step toward bringing formalism to life.

Acknowledgment. The author thanks Sofia Lambropoulou for many useful conversations in the course of preparing this paper. The author also thanks Sam Lomonaco, John Hearst, Yuri Magarshak, James Flagg and William Bricken for conversations related to the content of the present paper.

Most of this effort was sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and Air Force Research Laboratory, Air Force Materiel Command, USAF, under agreement F30602-01-2-05022. The U.S. Government is authorized to reproduce and distribute reprints for Government purposes notwithstanding any copyright annotations thereon. The views and conclusions contained herein are those of the author and should not be interpreted as necessarily representing the official policies or endorsements, either expressed or implied, of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Air Force Research Laboratory, or the U.S. Government. (Copyright 2002.)

## 2 Replication of DNA

We start this essay with the question: During the replication of DNA, how do the daughter DNA duplexes avoid entanglement? In the words of John Hearst , we are in search of the mechanism for the “emaculate segregation”. This question is inevitably involved with the topology of the DNA, for the strands of the DNA are interwound with one full turn for every ten base pairs. With the strands so interlinked it would seem impossible for the daughter strands to separate from their parents.

A key to this problem certainly lies in the existence of the topoisomerase enzymes that can change the linking number between the DNA strands and also can change the linking number between two DNA duplexes. It is however, a difficult matter at best to find in a tangled skein of rope the just right crossing changes that will unknot or unlink it. The topoisomerase enzymes do just this, changing crossings by grabbing a strand, breaking it and then rejoining it after the other strand has slipped through the break. Random strand switching is an unlikely mechanism, and one is led to posit some intrinsic geometry that can promote the process. In  there is made a specific suggestion about this intrinsic geometry. It is suggested that in vivo the DNA polymerase enzyme that promotes replication (by creating loops of single stranded DNA by opening the double stranded DNA) has sufficient rigidity not to allow the new loops to swivel and become entangled. In other words, it is posited that the replication loops remain simple in their topology so that the topoisomerase can act to promote the formation of the replication loops, and these loops once formed do not hinder the separation of the newly born duplexes. The model has been to some degree confirmed . The situation would now appear to be that in the first stages of the formation of the replication loops Topo I acts favorably to allow their formation and amalgamation. Then Topo II has a smaller job of finishing the separation of the newly formed duplexes. In Figure 1 we illustrate the schema of this process. In this Figure we indicate the action of the Topo I by showing a strand being switched in between two replication loops. The action of Topo II is only stated but not shown. In that action, newly created but entangled DNA strands would be disentangled. Our hypothesis is that this second action is essentially minimized by the rigidity of the ends of the replication loops in vivo.

Figure 1 - DNA Replication

In the course of this research, we started thinking about the diagrammatic logic of DNA replication and more generally about the relationship between DNA replication, logic and basic issues in the foundations of mathematics and modeling. The purpose of this paper is to explain some of these issues, raise questions and place these questions in the most general context that we can muster at this time. The purpose of this paper is therefore foundational. It will not in its present form affect issues in practical biology, but we hope that it will enable us and the reader to ask fruitful questions and perhaps bring the art of modeling in mathematics and biology forward.

To this end we have called the subject matter of this paper “biologic” with the intent that this might suggest a quest for the logic of biological systems or a quest for a “biological logic” or even the question of the relationship between what we call “logic” and our own biology. We have been trained to think of physics as the foundation of biology, but it is possible to realize that indeed biology can also be regarded as a foundation for thought, language, mathematics and even physics. In order to bring this statement over to physics one has to learn to admit that physical measurements are performed by biological organisms either directly or indirectly and that it is through our biological structure that we come to know the world. This foundational view will be elaborated as we proceed in this paper.

## 3 Logic, Copies and DNA Replication

In logic it is implicit at the syntactical level that copies of signs are freely available. In abstract logic there is no issue about materials available for the production of copies of a sign, nor is there necessarily a formalization of how a sign is to be copied. In the practical realm there are limitations to resources. A mathematician may need to replenish his supply of paper. A computer has a limitation on its memory store. In biology, there are no signs, but there are entities that we take as signs in our description of the workings of the biological information process. In this category the bases that line the backbone of the DNA are signs whose significance lies in their relative placement in the DNA. The DNA itself could be viewed as a text that one would like to copy. If this were a simple formal system it would be taken for granted that copies of any given text can be made. Therefore it is worthwhile making a comparison of the methods of copying or reproduction that occur in logic and in biology.

In logic there is a level beyond the simple copying of symbols that contains a non-trivial description of self-replication. The schema is as follows: There is a universal building machine $`B`$ that can accept a text or description $`x`$ (the program) and build what the text describes. We let lowercase $`x`$ denote the description and uppercase $`X`$ denote that which is described. Thus $`B`$ with $`x`$ will build $`X.`$ In fact, for bookkeeping purposes we also produce an extra copy of the text $`x.`$ This is appended to the production $`X`$ as $`X,x.`$ Thus $`B`$, when supplied with a description $`x,`$ produces that which $`x`$ describes, with a copy of its description attached. Schematically we have the process shown below.

$$B,xB,x;X,x$$

Self-replication is an immediate consequence of this concept of a universal building machine. Let $`b`$ denote the text or program for the universal building machine. Apply $`B`$ to its own description.

$$B,bB,b;B,b$$

The universal building machine reproduces itself. Each copy is a universal building machine with its own description appended. Each copy will proceed to reproduce itself in an unending tree of duplications. In practice this duplication will continue until all available resources are used up, or until someone removes the programs or energy sources from the proliferating machines.

It is not necessary to go all the way to a universal building machine to establish replication in a formal system or a cellular automaton (See the epilogue to this paper for examples.). On the other hand, all these logical devices for replication are based on the hardware/software or Object/Symbol distinction. It is worth looking at the abstract form of DNA replication.

DNA consists in two strands of base-pairs wound helically around a phosphate backbone. It is customary to call one of these strands the “Watson” strand and the other the “Crick” strand. Abstractly we can write

$$DNA=<W|C>$$

to symbolize the binding of the two strands into the single DNA duplex. Replication occurs via the separation of the two strands via polymerase enzyme. This separation occurs locally and propagates. Local sectors of separation can amalgamate into larger pieces of separation as well. Once the strands are separated, the environment of the cell can provide each with complementary bases to form the base pairs of new duplex DNA’s. Each strand, separated in vivo, finds its complement being built naturally in the environment. This picture ignores the well-known topological difficulties present to the actual separation of the daughter strands.

The base pairs are $`AT`$ (Adenine and Thymine) and $`GC`$ (Guanine and Cytosine). Thus if

$$<W|=<\mathrm{}TTAGAATAGGTACGCG\mathrm{}|$$

Then

$$|C>=|\mathrm{}AATCTTATCCATGCGC\mathrm{}>.$$

Symbolically we can oversimplify the whole process as

$$<W|+E<W|C>=DNA$$

$$E+|C><W|C>=DNA$$

$$<W|C><W|+E+|C>=<W|C><W|C>$$

Either half of the DNA can, with the help of the environment, become a full DNA. We can let $`E|C><W|`$ be a symbol for the process by which the environment supplies the complementary base pairs $`AG`$, $`TC`$ to the Watson and Crick strands. In this oversimplification we have cartooned the environment as though it contained an already-waiting strand $`|C>`$ to pair with $`<W|`$ and an already-waiting strand $`<W|`$ to pair with $`|C>.`$

In fact it is the opened strands themselves that command the appearance of their mates. They conjure up their mates from the chemical soup of the environment.

The environment $`E`$ is an identity element in this algebra of cellular interaction. That is, $`E`$ is always in the background and can be allowed to appear spontaneously in the cleft between Watson and Crick:

$$<W|C><W||C><W|E|C>$$

$$<W||C><W||C><W|C><W|C>$$

This is the formalism of DNA replication.

Compare this method of replication with the movements of the universal building machine supplied with its own blueprint. Here Watson and Crick ( $`<W|`$ and $`|C>`$ ) are each both the machine and the blueprint for the DNA. They are complementary blueprints, each containing the information to reconstitute the whole molecule. They are each machines in the context of the cellular environment, enabling the production of the DNA. This coincidence of machine and blueprint, hardware and software is an important difference between classical logical systems and the logical forms that arise in biology.

## 4 Lambda Algebra - Replication Revisited

One can look at formal systems involving self-replication that do not make a distinction between Symbol and Object. In the case of formal systems this means that one is working entirely on the symbolic side, quite a different matter from the biology where there is no intrinsic symbolism, only our external descriptions of processes in such terms. An example at the symbolic level is provided by the lambda calculus of Church and Curry  where functions are allowed to take themselves as arguments. This is accomplished by the following axiom.

Axiom for a Lambda Algebra: Let $`A`$ be an algebraic system with one binary operation denoted $`ab`$ for elements $`a`$ and $`b`$ of $`A.`$ Let $`F(x)`$ be an algebraic expression over $`A`$ with one variable $`x.`$ Then there exists an element $`a`$ of $`A`$ such that $`F(x)=ax`$ for all $`x`$ in $`A.`$

An algebra (not associative) that satisfies this axiom is a representation of the lambda calculus of Church and Curry. Let $`b`$ be an element of $`A`$ and define $`F(x)=b(xx).`$ Then by the axiom we have $`a`$ in $`A`$ such that $`ax=b(xx)`$ for any $`x`$ in $`A.`$ In particular (and this is where the “function” becomes its own argument)

$$aa=b(aa).$$

Thus we have shown that for any $`b`$ in $`A`$, there exists an element $`x`$ in $`A`$ such that $`x=bx.`$ Every element of $`A`$ has a “fixed point.”

This conclusion has two effects. It provides a fixed point for the function $`G(x)=bx`$ and it creates the beginning of a recursion in the form

$$aa=b(aa)=b(b(aa))=b(b(b(aa)))=\mathrm{}$$

The way we arrived at the fixed point $`aa`$ was formally the same as the mechanism of the universal building machine. Consider that machine:

$$B,xX,x$$

We have left out the repetition of the machine itself. You could look at this as a machine that uses itself up in the process of building $`X.`$ Applying $`B`$ to its own description $`b`$ we have the self-replication

$$B,bB,b.$$

The repetition of $`x`$ in the form $`X,x`$ on the right hand side of this definition of the builder property is comparable with

$$ax=b(xx)$$

with its crucial repetition as well. In the fixed point theorem, the arrow is replaced by an equals sign! Repetition is the core of self-replication in classical logic. This use of repetition assumes the possibility of a copy at the syntactic level, in order to produce a copy at the symbolic level. There is, in this pivot on syntax, a deep relationship with other fundamental issues in logic. In particular this same form of repetition is in back of the Cantor diagonal argument showing that the set of subsets of a set has greater cardinality than the original set, and it is in back of the G$`\ddot{o}`$del Theorem on the incompleteness of sufficiently rich formal systems. The pattern is also in back of the production of paradoxes such as the Russell paradox of the set of all sets that are not members of themselves.

There is not space here to go into all these relationships, but the Russell paradox will give a hint of the structure. Let “ab” be interpreted as “b is a member of a”. Then $`RX=\neg (XX)`$ can be taken as the definition of a set $`R`$ such that $`X`$ is a member of $`R`$ exactly when it is not the case that $`X`$ is a member of $`X.`$ Note the repetition of $`X`$ in the definition $`RX=\neg (XX).`$ Substituting $`R`$ for $`X`$ we obtain $`RR=\neg (RR)`$, which says that $`R`$ is a member of $`R`$ exactly when it is not the case that $`R`$ is a member of $`R.`$ This is the Russell paradox. From the point of view of the lambda calculus, we have found a fixed point for negation.

Where is the repetition in the DNA self-replication? The repetition and the replication are no longer separated. The repetition occurs not syntactically, but directly at the point of replication. Note the device of pairing or mirror imaging. $`A`$ calls up the appearance of $`T`$ and $`G`$ calls up the appearance of $`C.`$ $`<W|`$ calls up the appearance of $`|C>`$ and $`|C>`$ calls up the appearance of $`<W|.`$ Each object $`O`$ calls up the appearance of its dual or paired object $`O^{}`$. $`O`$ calls up $`O^{}`$ and $`O^{}`$ calls up $`O.`$ The object that replicates is implicitly a repetition in the form of a pairing of object and dual object.

$`OO^{}`$ replicates via

$$OOO^{}$$

$$O^{}OO^{}$$

whence

$$OO^{}OO^{}OO^{}OO^{}.$$

The repetition is inherent in the replicand in the sense that the dual of a form is a repetition of that form.

## 5 Quantum Mechanics

We now consider the quantum level. Here copying is not possible. We shall detail this in a subsection. For a quantum process to copy a state, one needs a unitary transformation to perform the job. One can show, as we explain in the last subsection of this section, that this cannot be done. There are indirect ways that seem to make a copy, involving a classical communication channel coupled with quantum operators (so called quantum teleportation ). The production of such a quantum state constitutes a reproduction of the original state, but in these cases the original state is lost, so teleportation looks more like transportation than copying. With this in mind it is fascinating to contemplate that DNA and other molecular configurations are actually modeled in principle as certain complex quantum states. At this stage we meet the boundary between classical and quantum mechanics where conventional wisdom finds it is most useful to regard the main level of molecular biology as classical.

We shall quickly indicate the basic principles of quantum mechanics. The quantum information context encapsulates a concise model of quantum theory:

The initial state of a quantum process is a vector $`|v>`$ in a complex vector space $`H.`$ Observation returns basis elements $`\beta `$ of $`H`$ with probability

$$|<\beta |v>|^2/<v|v>$$

where $`<v|w>=v^{}w`$ with $`v^{}`$ the conjugate transpose of $`v.`$ A physical process occurs in steps $`|v>U|v>=|Uv>`$ where $`U`$ is a unitary linear transformation.

Note that since $`<Uv|Uw>=<v|w>`$ when $`U`$ is unitary, it follows that probability is preserved in the course of a quantum process.

One of the details for any specific quantum problem is the nature of the unitary evolution. This is specified by knowing appropriate information about the classical physics that supports the phenomena. This information is used to choose an appropriate Hamiltonian through which the unitary operator is constructed via a correspondence principle that replaces classical variables with appropriate quantum operators. (In the path integral approach one needs a Langrangian to construct the action on which the path integral is based.) One needs to know certain aspects of classical physics to solve any given quantum problem. The classical world is known through our biology. In this sense biology is the foundation for physics.

A key concept in the quantum information viewpoint is the notion of the superposition of states. If a quantum system has two distinct states $`|v>`$ and $`|w>,`$ then it has infinitely many states of the form $`a|v>+b|w>`$ where $`a`$ and $`b`$ are complex numbers taken up to a common multiple. States are “really” in the projective space associated with $`H.`$ There is only one superposition of a single state $`|v>`$ with itself.

Dirac  introduced the “bra -(c)-ket” notation $`<A|B>=A^{}B`$ for the inner product of complex vectors $`A,BH`$. He also separated the parts of the bracket into the bra $`<A|`$ and the ket $`|B>.`$ Thus

$$<A|B>=<A||B>$$

In this interpretation, the ket $`|B>`$ is identified with the vector $`BH`$, while the bra $`<A|`$ is regarded as the element dual to $`A`$ in the dual space $`H^{}`$. The dual element to $`A`$ corresponds to the conjugate transpose $`A^{}`$ of the vector $`A`$, and the inner product is expressed in conventional language by the matrix product $`A^{}B`$ (which is a scalar since $`B`$ is a column vector). Having separated the bra and the ket, Dirac can write the “ket-bra” $`|A><B|=AB^{}.`$ In conventional notation, the ket-bra is a matrix, not a scalar, and we have the following formula for the square of $`P=|A><B|:`$

$$P^2=|A><B||A><B|=A(B^{}A)B^{}=(B^{}A)AB^{}=<B|A>P.$$

Written entirely in Dirac notation we have

$$P^2=|A><B||A><B|=|A><B|A><B|$$

$$=<B|A>|A><B|=<B|A>P.$$

The standard example is a ket-bra $`P=|A><A|`$ where $`<A|A>=1`$ so that $`P^2=P.`$ Then $`P`$ is a projection matrix, projecting to the subspace of $`H`$ that is spanned by the vector $`|A>`$. In fact, for any vector $`|B>`$ we have

$$P|B>=|A><A||B>=|A><A|B>=<A|B>|A>.$$

If $`\{|C_1>,|C_2>,\mathrm{}|C_n>\}`$ is an orthonormal basis for $`H`$, and $`P_i=|C_i><C_i|,`$ then for any vector $`|A>`$ we have

$$|A>=<C_1|A>|C_1>+\mathrm{}+<C_n|A>|C_n>.$$

Hence

$$<B|A>=<C_1|A><B|C_1>+\mathrm{}+<C_n|A><B|C_n>$$

$$=<B|C_1><C_1|A>+\mathrm{}+<B|C_n><C_n|A>$$

$$=<B|[|C_1><C_1|+\mathrm{}+|C_n><C_n|]|A>$$

$$=<B|\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}1}|A>.$$

We have written this sequence of equalities from $`<B|A>`$ to $`<B|1|A>`$ to emphasize the role of the identity

$$\mathrm{\Sigma }_{k=1}^nP_k=\mathrm{\Sigma }_{k=1}^n|C_k><C_k|=1$$

so that one can write

$$<B|A>=<B|\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}1}|A>=<B|\mathrm{\Sigma }_{k=1}^n|C_k><C_k||A>=\mathrm{\Sigma }_{k=1}^n<B|C_k><C_k|A>.$$

In the quantum context one may wish to consider the probability of starting in state $`|A>`$ and ending in state $`|B>.`$ The square of the probability for this event is equal to $`|<B|A>|^2`$. This can be refined if we have more knowledge. If it is known that one can go from $`A`$ to $`C_i`$ ($`i=1,\mathrm{},n`$) and from $`C_i`$ to $`B`$ and that the intermediate states $`|C_i>`$ are a complete set of orthonormal alternatives then we can assume that $`<C_i|C_i>=1`$ for each $`i`$ and that $`\mathrm{\Sigma }_i|C_i><C_i|=1.`$ This identity now corresponds to the fact that $`1`$ is the sum of the probabilities of an arbitrary state being projected into one of these intermediate states.

If there are intermediate states between the intermediate states this formulation can be continued until one is summing over all possible paths from $`A`$ to $`B.`$ This becomes the path integral expression for the amplitude $`<B|A>.`$

### 5.1 Quantum Formalism and DNA Replication

We wish to draw attention to the remarkable fact that this formulation of the expansion of intermediate quantum states has exactly the same pattern as our formal summary of DNA replication. Compare them. The form of DNA replication is shown below. Here the environment of possible base pairs is represented by the ket-bra $`E=|C><W|.`$

$$<W|C><W||C><W|E|C>$$

$$<W||C><W||C><W|C><W|C>$$

Here is the form of intermediate state expansion.

$$<B|A><B||A><B|\mathrm{\hspace{0.17em}1}|A>$$

$$<B|\mathrm{\Sigma }_k|C_k><C_k||A>\mathrm{\Sigma }_k<B|C_k><C_k|A>.$$

We compare

$$E=|C><W|$$

and

$$1=\mathrm{\Sigma }_k|C_k><C_k|.$$

That the unit $`1`$ can be written as a sum over the intermediate states is an expression of how the environment (in the sense of the space of possibilities) impinges on the quantum amplitude, just as the expression of the environment as a soup of bases ready to be paired (a classical space of possibilities) serves as a description of the biological environment. The symbol $`E=|C><W|`$ indicated the availability of the bases from the environment to form the complementary pairs. The projection operators $`|C_i><C_i|`$ are the possibilities for interlock of initial and final state through an intermediate possibility. In the quantum mechanics the special pairing is not of bases but of a state and a possible intermediate from a basis of states. It is through this common theme of pairing that the conceptual notation of the bras and kets lets us see a correspondence between such separate domains.

### 5.2 Quantum Copies are not Possible

Finally, we note that in quantum mechanics it is not possible to copy a quantum state! This is called the no-cloning theorem of elementary quantum mechanics . Here is the proof:

Proof of the No Cloning Theorem. In order to have a quantum process make a copy of a quantum state we need a unitary mapping $`U:HHHH`$ where $`H`$ is a complex vector space such that there is a fixed state $`|X>H`$ with the property that

$$U(|X>|A>)=|A>|A>$$

for any state $`|A>H.`$ ($`|A>|B>`$ denotes the tensor product $`|A>|B>.`$) Let

$$T(|A>)=U(|X>|A>)=|A>|A>.$$

Note that $`T`$ is a linear function of $`|A>.`$ Thus we have

$$T|0>=|0>|0>=|00>,$$

$$T|1>=|1>|1>=|11>,$$

$$T(\alpha |0>+\beta |1>)=(\alpha |0>+\beta |1>)(\alpha |0>+\beta |1>).$$

But

$$T(\alpha |0>+\beta |1>)=\alpha |00>+\beta |11>.$$

Hence

$$\alpha |00>+\beta |11>=(\alpha |0>+\beta |1>)(\alpha |0>+\beta |1>)$$

$$=\alpha ^2|00>+\beta ^2|11>+\alpha \beta |01>+\beta \alpha |10>$$

From this it follows that $`\alpha \beta =0.`$ Since $`\alpha `$ and $`\beta `$ are arbitrary complex numbers, this is a contradiction. $`\mathrm{}`$

The proof of the no-cloning theorem depends crucially on the linear superposition of quantum states and the linearity of quantum process. By the time we reach the molecular level and attain the possibility of copying DNA molecules we are copying in a quite different sense than the ideal quantum copy that does not exist. The DNA and its copy are each quantum states, but they are different quantum states! That we see the two DNA molecules as identical is a function of how we filter our observations of complex and entangled quantum states. Nevertheless, the identity of two DNA copies is certainly at a deeper level than the identity of the two letters “i” in the word identity. The latter is conventional and symbolic. The former is a matter of physics and biochemistry.

## 6 Mathematical Structure and Topology

We now comment on the conceptual underpinning for the notations and logical constructions that we use in this paper. This line of thought will lead to topology and to the formalism for replication discussed in the last section.

Mathematics is built through distinctions, definitions, acts of language that bring forth logical worlds, arenas in which actions and patterns can take place. As far as we can determine at the present time, mathematics while capable of describing the quantum world, is in its very nature quite classical. Or perhaps we make it so. As far as mathematics is concerned, there is no ambiguity in the $`1+1`$ hidden in $`2.`$ The mathematical box shows exactly what is potential to it when it is opened. There is nothing in the box except what is a consequence of its construction. With this in mind, let us look at some mathematical beginnings.

Take the beginning of set theory. We start with the empty set $`\varphi =\{\}`$ and we build new sets by the operation of set formation that takes any collection and puts brackets around it:

$$abcd\{a,b,c,d\}$$

making a single entity $`\{a,b,c,d\}`$ from the multiplicity of the “parts” that are so collected. The empty set herself is the result of “collecting nothing”. The empty set is identical to the act of collecting. At this point of emergence the empty set is an action not a thing. Each subsequent set can be seen as an action of collection, a bringing forth of unity from multiplicity.

One declares two sets to be the same if they have the same members. With this prestidigitation of language, the empty set becomes unique and a hierarchy of distinct sets arises as if from nothing.

$$\{\}\{\{\}\}\{\{\},\{\{\}\}\}\mathrm{}$$

All representatives of the different mathematical cardinalities arise out of the void in the presence of these conventions for collection and identification.

We would like to get underneath the formal surface. We would like to see what makes this formal hierarchy tick. Will there be an analogy to biology below this play of symbols? On the one hand it is clear to us that there is actually no way to go below a given mathematical construction. Anything that we call more fundamental will be another mathematical construct. Nevertheless, the exercise is useful, for it asks us to look closely at how this given formality is made. It asks us to take seriously the parts that are usually taken for granted.

We take for granted that the particular form of container used to represent the empty set is irrelevant to the empty set itself. But how can this be? In order to have a concept of emptiness, one needs to hold the contrast of that which is empty with “everything else”. One may object that these images are not part of the formal content of set theory. But they are part of the formalism of set theory.

Consider the representation of the empty set: $`\{\}.`$ That representation consists in a bracketing that we take to indicate an empty space within the brackets, and an injunction to ignore the complex typographical domains outside the brackets. Focus on the brackets themselves. They come in two varieties: the left bracket, $`\{,`$ and the right bracket, $`\}.`$ The left bracket indicates a distinction of left and right with the emphasis on the right. The right bracket indicates a distinction between left and right with an emphasis on the left. A left and right bracket taken together become a container when each is in the domain indicated by the other. Thus in the bracket symbol

$$\{\}$$

for the empty set, the left bracket, being to the left of the right bracket, is in the left domain that is marked by the right bracket, and the right bracket, being to the right of the left bracket is in the right domain that is marked by the left bracket. The doubly marked domain between them is their content space, the arena of the empty set.

The delimiters of the container are each themselves iconic for the process of making a distinction. In the notation of curly brackets,$`\{`$, this is particularly evident. The geometrical form of the curly bracket is a cusp singularity, the simplest form of bifurcation. The relationship of the left and right brackets is that of a form and its mirror image. If there is a given distinction such as left versus right, then the mirror image of that distinction is the one with the opposite emphasis. This is precisely the relationship between the left and right brackets. A form and its mirror image conjoin to make a container.

The delimiters of the empty set could be written in the opposite order: $`\}\{.`$ This is an extainer. The extainer indicates regions external to itself. In this case of symbols on a line, the extainer $`\}\{`$ indicates the entire line to the left and to the right of itself. The extainer is as natural as the container, but does not appear formally in set theory. To our knowledge, its first appearance is in the Dirac notation of “bras” and “kets” where Dirac takes an inner product written in the form $`<B|A>`$ and breaks it up into $`<B|`$ and $`|A>`$ and then makes projection operators by recombining in the opposite order as $`|A><B|.`$ See the earlier discussion of quantum mechanics in this paper.

Each left or right bracket in itself makes a distinction. The two brackets are distinct from one another by mirror imaging, which we take to be a notational reflection of a fundamental process (of distinction) whereby two forms are identical (indistinguishable) except by comparison in the space of an observer. The observer is the distinction between the mirror images. Mirrored pairs of individual brackets interact to form either a container

$$C=\{\}$$

or an extainer

$$E=\}\{.$$

These new forms combine to make:

$$CC=\{\}\{\}=\{E\}$$

and

$$EE=\}\{\}\{=\}C\{.$$

Two containers interact to form an extainer within container brackets. Two extainers interact to form a container between extainer brackets. The pattern of extainer interactions can be regarded as a formal generalization of the bra and ket patterns of the Dirac notation that we have used in this paper both for DNA replication and for a discussion of quantum mechanics. In the quantum mechanics application $`\{\}`$ corresponds to the inner product $`<A|B>`$, a commuting scalar, while $`\}\{`$ corresponds to $`|A><B|`$, a matrix that does not necessarily commute with vectors or other matrices. With this application in mind, it is natural to decide to make the container an analog of a scalar quantity and let it commute with individual brackets. We then have the equation

$$EE=\}\{\}\{=\}C\{=C\}\{=CE.$$

By definition there will be no corresponding equation for $`CC`$. We adopt the axiom that containers commute with other elements in this combinatorial algebra. Containers and extainers are distinguished by this property. Containers appear as autonomous entities and can be moved about. Extainers are open to interaction from the outside and are sensitive to their surroundings. At this point, we have described the basis for the formalism used in the earlier parts of this paper.

If we interpret E as the “environment” then the equation $`\}\{=E=1`$ expresses the availability of complementary forms so that

$$\{\}\{E\}\{\}\{\}$$

becomes the form of DNA reproduction.

We can also regard $`EE=\{\}E`$ as symbolic of the emergence of DNA from the chemical substrate. Just as the formalism for reproduction ignores the topology, this formalism for emergence ignores the formation of the DNA backbone along which are strung the complementary base pairs. In the biological domain we are aware of levels of ignored structure.

In mathematics it is customary to stop the examination of certain issues in order to create domains with requisite degrees of clarity. We are all aware that the operation of collection is proscribed beyond a certain point. For example, in set theory the Russell class $`R`$ of all sets that are not members of themselves is not itself a set. It then follows that $`\{R\},`$ the collection whose member is the Russell class, is not a class (since a member of a class is a set). This means that the construct $`\{R\}`$ is outside of the discourse of standard set theory. This is the limitation of expression at the “high end” of the formalism. That the set theory has no language for discussing the structure of its own notation is the limitation of the language at the “low end”. Mathematical users, in speaking and analyzing the mathematical structure, and as its designers, can speak beyond both the high and low ends.

In biology we perceive the pattern of a formal system, a system that is embedded in a structure whose complexity demands the elucidation of just those aspects of symbols and signs that are commonly ignored in the mathematical context. Rightly these issues should be followed to their limits. The curious thing is what peeks through when we just allow a bit of it, then return to normal mathematical discourse. With this in mind, lets look more closely at the algebra of containers and extainers.

Taking two basic forms of bracketing, an intricate algebra appears from their elementary interactions:

$$E=><$$

$$F=][$$

$$G=>[$$

$$H=]<$$

are the extainers, with corresponding containers:

$$<>,[],[>,<].$$

These form a closed algebraic system with the following multiplications:

$$EE=><><=<>E$$

$$FF=][][=[]F$$

$$GG=>[>[=[>G$$

$$HH=]<]<=<]H$$

and

$$EF=><][=<]G$$

$$EG=><>[=<>G$$

$$EH=><]<=<]E$$

$$FE=][><=[>H$$

$$FG=][>[=[>F$$

$$FH=][]<=[]H$$

$$GE=>[><=[>E$$

$$GF=>[][=[]G$$

$$GH=>[]<=[]E$$

$$HE=]<><=<>H$$

$$HF=]<][=<]F$$

$$HG=]<>[=<>F$$

Other identities follow from these. For example,

$$EFE=><][><=<][>E.$$

This algebra of extainers and containers is a precursor to the Temperley Lieb algebra, an algebraic structure that first appeared (in quite a different way) in the study of the Potts model in statistical mechanics . We shall forgo here details about the Temperley Lieb algebra itself, and refer the reader to  where this point of view is used to create unitary representations of that algebra for the context of quantum computation. Here we see the elemental nature of this algebra, and how it comes about quite naturally once one adopts a formalism that keeps track of the structure of boundaries that underlie the mathematics of set theory.

The Temperley Lieb algebra $`TL_n`$ is an algebra over a commutative ring $`k`$ with generators $`\{1,U_1,U_2,\mathrm{},U_{n1}\}`$ and relations

$$U_i^2=\delta U_i,$$

$$U_iU_{i\pm 1}U_i=U_i,$$

$$U_iU_j=U_jU_i,|ij|>1,$$

where $`\delta `$ is a chosen element of the ring $`k`$. These equations give the multiplicative structure of the algebra. The algebra is a free module over the ring $`k`$ with basis the equivalence classes of these products modulo the given relations.

To match this pattern with our combinatorial algebra let $`n=2`$ and let $`U_1=E=><`$, $`U_2=F=][`$ and assume that $`1=<]=[>`$ while $`\delta =<>=[].`$ The above equations for our combinatorial algebra then match the multiplicative equations of the Temperley Lieb algebra.

The next stage for representing the Temperley Lieb algebra is a diagrammatic representation that uses two different forms of extainer. The two forms are obtained not by changing the shape of the given extainer, but rather by shifting it relative to a baseline. Thus we define diagrammatically $`U=U_1`$ and $`V=U_2`$ as shown below:

$$U=\begin{array}{c}\\ ><\end{array}$$

$$V=\begin{array}{c}><\\ \end{array}$$

$$UU=\begin{array}{c}\\ ><><\end{array}=<>\begin{array}{c}\\ ><\end{array}=<>U$$

$$UVU=\begin{array}{c}_{{}_{}{}^{}><^{}}\\ ^{><_{}><}\end{array}=\begin{array}{c}_{^{}}\\ ^{><}\end{array}=U.$$

In this last equation $`UVU=U`$ we have used the topological deformation of the connecting line from top to top to obtain the identity. In its typographical form the identity requires one to connect corresponding endpoints of the brackets. In Figure 2 we indicate a smooth picture of the connection situation and the corresponding topological deformation of the lines. We have deliberately shown the derivation in a typographical mode to emphasize its essential difference from the matching pattern that produced

$$EFE=><][><=<][>E.$$

By taking the containers and extainers shifted this way, we enter a new and basically topological realm. This elemental relationship with topology is part of a deeper connection where the Temperley Lieb algebra is used to construct representations of the Artin Braid Group. This in turn leads to the construction of the well-known Jones polynomial invariant of knots and links via the bracket state model . It is not the purpose of this paper to go into the details of those connections, but rather to point to that place in the mathematics where basic structures apply to biology, topology, and logical foundations.

Figure 2 - A Topological Identity

It is worthwhile to point out that the formula for expanding the bracket polynomial can be indicated symbolically in the same fashion that we used to create the Temperley Lieb algebra via containers and extainers. We will denote a crossing in the link diagram by the letter chi, $`\chi `$. The letter itself denotes a crossing where the curved line in the letter chi is crossing over the straight segment in the letter. The barred letter denotes the switch of this crossing where the curved line in the letter chi is undercrossing the straight segment in the letter. In the bracket state model a crossing in a diagram for the knot or link is expanded into two possible states by either smoothing (reconnecting) the crossing horizontally, $``$, or vertically $`><`$. The vertical smoothing can be regarded as the extainer and the horizontal smoothing as an identity operator. In a larger sense, we can regard both smoothings as extainers with different relationships to their environments. In this sense the crossing is regarded as the superposition of horizontal and vertical extainers. The crossings expand according to the formulas

$$\chi =A+A^1><$$

$$\overline{\chi }=A^1+A><.$$

The verification that the bracket is invariant under the second Reidemeister move is then seen by verifying that

$$\chi \overline{\chi }=.$$

For this one needs that the container $`<>`$ has value $`A^2A^2`$ (the loop value in the model). The significant mathematical move in producing this model is the notion of the crossing as a superposition of its smoothings.

It is useful to use the iconic symbol $`><`$ for the extainer, and to choose another iconic symbol $``$ for the identity operator in the algebra. With these choices we have

$$=$$

$$><=><=><$$

Thus

$$\chi \overline{\chi }$$

$$=(A+A^1><)(A^1+A><)$$

$$=AA^1+A^2><+A^2><+AA^1><><$$

$$=+A^2><+A^2><+\delta ><$$

$$=+(A^2+A^2+\delta )><$$

$$=$$

Note the use of the extainer identity $`><><=>\delta <=\delta ><.`$ At this stage the combinatorial algebra of containers and extainers emerges as the background to the topological characteristics of the Jones polynomial.

### 6.1 Protein Folding and Combinatorial Algebra

The approach in this section derives from ideas in . Here is another use for the formalism of bras and kets. Consider a molecule that is obtained by “folding” a long chain molecule. There is a set of sites on the long chain that are paired to one another to form the folded molecule. The difficult problem in protein folding is the determination of the exact form of the folding given a multiplicity of possible paired sites. Here we assume that the pairings are given beforehand, and consider the abstract structure of the folding and its possible embeddings in three dimensional space. Let the paired sites on the long chain be designated by labeled bras and kets with the bra appearing before the ket in the chain order. Thus $`<A|`$ and $`|A>`$ would denote such a pair and the sequence

$$C=<a|<b|<c||c>|b><d||d>|a><e||e>$$

could denote the paired sites on the long chain. See Figure 3 for a depiction of this chain and its folding. In this formalism we do not assume any identities about moving containers or extainers, since the exact order of the sites along the chain is of great importance. We say that two chains are isomorphic if they differ only in their choice of letters. Thus $`<a|<b||b>|a>`$ and $`<r|<s||s>|r>`$ are isomorphic chains. Note that each bra ket pair in a chain is decorated with a distinct letter.

Written in bras and kets a chain has an underlying parenthesis structure that is obtained by removing all vertical bars and all letters. Call this $`P(C)`$ for a given chain $`C`$. Thus we have

$$P(C)=P(<a|<b|<c||c>|b><d||d>|a><e||e>)=<<<>><>><>.$$

Note that in this case we have $`P(Chain)`$ is a legal parenthesis structure in the usual sense of containment and paired brackets. Legality of parentheses is defined inductively:

1. $`<>`$ is legal.
2. If $`X`$ and $`Y`$ are legal, then $`XY`$ is legal.
3. If $`X`$ is legal, then $`<X>`$ is legal.

These rules define legality of finite parenthetic expresssions. In any legal parenthesis structure, one can deduce directly from that structure which brackets are paired with one another. Simple algorithms suffice for this, but we omit the details. In any case a legal parenthesis structure has an intrinsic pairing associated with it, and hence there is an inverse to the mapping $`P`$. We define $`Q(X)`$ for $`X`$ a legal parenthesis structure, to be the result of replacing each pair $`\mathrm{}<\mathrm{}>\mathrm{}`$ in X by $`\mathrm{}<A|\mathrm{}|A>\mathrm{}`$ where $`A`$ denotes a specific letter chosen for that pair, with different pairs receiving different letters. Thus $`Q(<<>>)=<a|<b||b>|a>.`$ Note that in the case above, we have that $`Q(P(C))`$ is isomorphic to $`C.`$

Figure 3 - Secondary Structure $`<a|<b|<c||c>|b><d||d>|a><e||e>`$

A chain $`C`$ is said to be a secondary folding structure if $`P(C)`$ is legal and $`Q(P(C))`$ is isomorphic to $`C.`$ The reader may enjoy the exercise of seeing that secondary foldings (when folded) form tree-like structures without any loops or knots. This notion of secondary folding structure corresponds to the usage in molecular biology, and it is a nice application of the bra ket formalism. This also shows the very rich combinatorial background in the bras and kets that occurs before the imposition of any combinatorial algebra.

Here is the simplest non-secondary folding:

$$L=<a|<b||a>|b>.$$

Note that $`P(L)=<<>>`$ is legal, but that $`Q(P(L))=Q(<<>>)=<a|<b||b>|a>`$ is not isomorphic to $`L.`$ $`L`$ is sometimes called a “pseudo knot” in the literature of protein folding. Figure 4 should make clear this nomenclature. The molecule is folded back on itself in a way that looks a bit knotted.

Figure 4 - A Tertiary Structure - $`<a|<b||a>|b>`$

With these conventions it is convenient to abbreviate a chain by just giving its letter sequence and removing the (reconstructible) bras and kets. Thus $`C`$ above may be abbreviated by $`abccbddaee.`$

One may wonder whether at least theoretically there are foldings that would necessarily be knotted when embedded in three dimensional space. With open ends, this means that the structure folds into a graph such that there is a knotted arc in the graph for some traverse from one end to the other. Such a traverse can go along the chain or skip across the bonds joining the paired sites. The answer to this question is yes, there are folding patterns that can force knottedness. Here is an example of such an intrinsically knotted folding.

$$ABCDEFAGHIJKBGLMNOCHLPQRDIMPSTEJNQSUFKORTU.$$

It is easy to see that this string is not a secondary structure. To see that it is intrinsically knotted, we appeal to the Conway-Gordon Theorem  that tells us that the complete graph on seven vertices is intrinsically knotted. In closed circular form (tie the ends of the folded string together), the folding that corresponds to the above string retracts to the complete graph on seven vertices. Consequently, that folding, however it is embedded, must contain a knot by the Conway-Gordon Theorem. We leave it as an exercise for the reader to draw an embedding corresponding to a folding of this string and to locate the knot! The question of intrinsically knotted foldings that occur in nature remains to be investigated.

## 7 Cellular Automata

Some examples from cellular automata clarify many of the issues about replication and the relationship of logic and biology. Here is an example due to Maturana, Uribe and Varela . See also  for a global treatment of related issues. The ambient space is two dimensional and in it there are “molecules” consisting in “dots” (See Figure 5). There is a minimum distance between the dots (one can place them on a discrete lattice in the plane). And “bonds” can form with a probability of creation and a probability of decay between molecules with minimal spacing. There are two types of molecules: “substrate” and “catalysts”. The catalysts are not susceptible to bonding, but their presence (within say three minimal step lengths) enhances the probability of bonding and decreases the probability of decay. Molecules that are not bonded move about the lattice (one lattice link at a time) with a probability of motion. In the beginning there is a randomly placed soup of molecules with a high percentage of substrate and a smaller percentage of catalysts. What will happen in the course of time?

Figure 5 - Proto-Cells of Maturana, Uribe and Varela

In the course of time the catalysts (basically separate from one another due to lack of bonding) become surrounded by circular forms of bonded or partially bonded substrate. A distinction (in the eyes of the observer) between inside (near the catalyst) and outside (far from a given catalyst) has spontaneously arisen through the “chemical rules”. Each catalyst has become surrounded by a proto-cell. No higher organism has formed here, but there is a hint of the possibility of higher levels of organization arising from a simple set of rules of interaction. The system is not programmed to make the proto-cells. They arise spontaneously in the evolution of the structure over time.

One might imagine that in this way, organisms could be induced to arise as the evolutionary behavior of formal systems. There are difficulties, not the least of which is that there are nearly always structures in such systems whose probability of spontaneous emergence is vanishingly small. A good example is given by another automaton – John H. Conway’s “Game of Life”. In “Life” the cells appear and disappear as marked squares in a rectangular planar grid. A newly marked cell is said to be “born”. An unmarked cell is “dead”. A cell dies when it goes from the marked to the unmarked state. A marked cell survives if it does not become unmarked in a given time step. According to the rules of Life, an unmarked cell is born if and only if it has three neighbors. A marked cell survives if it has either two or three neighbors. All cells in the lattice are updated in a single time step. The Life automaton is one of many automata of this type and indeed it is a fascinating exercise to vary the rules and watch a panoply of different behaviors. For this discussion we concentrate on some particular features. There is a configuration in Life called a “glider”. See Figure 6. This illustrates a “glider gun” (discussed below) that produces a series of gliders going diagonally from left to right down the Life lattice. The glider consists in five cells in one of two basic configurations. Each of these configurations produces the other (with a change in orientation). After four steps the glider reproduces itself in form, but shifted in space. Gliders appear as moving entities in the temporality of the Life board. The glider is a complex entity that arises naturally from a small random selection of marked cells on the Life board. Thus the glider is a “naturally occurring entity” just like the proto-cell in the Maturana-Uribe-Varela automaton. But Life contains potentially much more complex phenomena. For example, there is the “glider gun” (See Figure 6) which perpetually creates new gliders. The “gun” was invented by a group of researchers at MIT in the 1970’s (The Gosper Group). It is highly unlikely that a gun would appear spontaneously in the Life board. Of course there is a tiny probability of this, but we would guess that the chances of the appearance of the glider gun by random selection or evolution from a random state is similar to the probability of all the air in the room collecting in one corner. Nervertheless, the gun is a natural design based on forms and patterns that do appear spontaneously on small Life boards. The glider gun emerged through the coupling of the power of human cognition and the automatic behavior of a mechanized formal system. Cognition is in fact an attribute of our biological system at an appropriately high level of organization. But cognition itself looks as improbable as the glider gun! Do patterns as complex as cognition or the glider gun arise spontaneously in an appropriate biological context?

Figure 6 - Glider Gun and Gliders

There is a middle ground. If one examines cellular automata of a given type and varies the rule set randomly rather than varying the initial conditions for a given automaton, then a very wide variety of phenomena will present themselves. In the case of molecular biology at the level of the DNA there is exactly this possibility of varying the rules in the sense of varying the sequences in the genetic code. So it is possible at this level to produce a wide range of remarkable complex systems.

### 7.1 Other Forms of Replication

Other forms of self-replication are quite revealing. For example, one might point out that a stick can be made to reproduce by breaking it into two pieces. This may seem satisfactory on the first break, but the breaking cannot be continued indefinitely. In mathematics on the other hand, we can divide an interval into two intervals and continue this process ad infinitum. For a self-replication to have meaning in the physical or biological realm there must be a genuine repetition of structure from original to copy. At the very least the interval should grow to twice its size before it divides (or the parts should have the capacity to grow independently).

A clever automaton, due to Chris Langton, takes the initial form of a square in the plane. The rectangle extrudes a edge that grows to one edge length and a little more, turns by ninety degrees, grows one edge length, turns by ninety degrees grows one edge length, turns by ninety degrees and when it grows enough to collide with the original extruded edge, cuts itself off to form a new adjacent square, thereby reproducing itself. This scenario is then repeated as often as possible producing a growing cellular lattice. See Figure 7.

Figure 7 - Langton’s Automaton

The replications that happen in automata such as Conway’s Life are all really instances of periodicity of a function under iteration. The gilder is an example where the Life game function $`L`$ applied to an initial condition $`G`$ yields $`L^5(G)=t(G)`$ where $`t`$ is a rigid motion of the plane. Other intriguing examples of this phenomenon occur. For example the initial condition $`D`$ for Life shown in Figure 8 has the property that $`L^{48}(D)=s(D)+B`$ where $`s`$ is a rigid motion of the plane and $`s(D)`$ and the residue $`B`$ are disjoint sets of marked squares in the lattice of the game. $`D`$ itself is a small configuration of eight marked squares fitting into a rectangle of size $`4`$ by $`6.`$ Thus $`D`$ has a probability of $`1/735471`$ of being chosen at random as eight points from $`24`$ points.

Figure 8 - Condition D with geometric period $`48`$

Should we regard self-replication as simply an instance of periodicity under iteration? Perhaps, but the details are more interesting in a direct view. The glider gun in Life is a structure $`GUN`$ such that $`L^{30}(GUN)=GUN+GLIDER.`$ Further iterations move the disjoint glider away from the gun so that it can continue to operate as an initial condition for $`L`$ in the same way. A closer look shows that the glider is fundamentally composed of two parts $`P`$ and $`Q`$ such that $`L^{10}(Q)`$ is a version of $`P`$ and some residue and such that $`L^{15}(P)=P^{}+B`$ where $`B`$ is a rectangular block, and $`P^{}`$ is a mirror image of $`P`$, while $`L^{15}(Q)=Q^{}+B^{}`$ where $`B^{}`$ is a small non-rectangular residue. See Figure 9 for an illustration showing the parts $`P`$ and $`Q`$ (left and right) flanked by small blocks that form the ends of the gun. One also finds that $`L^{15}(B+Q^{})=GLIDER+Q+Residue.`$ This is the internal mechanism by which the glider gun produces the glider. The extra blocks at either end of the glider gun act to absorb the residues that are produced by the iterations. Thus the end blocks are catalysts that promote the action of the gun. Schematically the glider production goes as follows:

$$P+QP^{}+B+Q$$

$$B+Q^{}GLIDER+Q$$

whence

$$P+QP^{}+B+Q^{}P+GLIDER+Q=P+Q+GLIDER.$$

The last equality symbolizes the fact that the glider is an autonomous entity no longer involved in the structure of $`P`$ and $`Q.`$ It is interesting that $`Q`$ is a spatially and time shifted version of $`P.`$ Thus $`P`$ and $`Q`$ are really “copies” of each other in an analogy to the structural relationship of the Watson and Crick strands of the DNA. The remaining part of the analogy is the way the catalytic rectangles at the ends of the glider gun act to keep the residue productions from interfering with the production process. This is analogous to the enzyme action of the topoisomerase in the DNA.

Figure 9 - P(left) and Q(right) Compose the Glider Gun

The point about this symbolic or symbiological analysis is that it enables us to take an analytical look at the structure of different replication scenarios for comparison and for insight.

## 8 Epilogue - Logic and Biology

We began with the general question: What is the relationship of logic and biology. Certain fundamentals, common to both are handled quite differently. These are certain fundamental distinctions: The distinction of symbol and object (the name and the thing that is named). The distinction of a form and a copy of that form.

In logic the symbol and its referent are normally taken to be distinct. This leads to a host of related distinctions such as the distinction between a description or blueprint and the object described by that blueprint. A related distinction is the dichotomy between software and hardware. The software is analogous to a description. Hardware can be constructed with the aid of a blueprint or description. But software intermediates between these domains as it is an instruction. An instruction is not a description of a thing, but a blueprint for a process. Software needs hardware in order to become an actual process. Hardware needs software as a directive force. Although mutually dependent, hardware and software are quite distinct.

In logic and computer science the boundary between hardware and software is first met at the machine level with the built-in capabilities of the hardware determining the type of software that can be written for it. Even at the level of an individual gate, there is the contrast of the structure of that gate as a design and the implementation of that design that is used in the construction of the gate. The structure of the gate is mathematical. Yet there is the physical implementation of these designs, a realm where the decomposition into parts is not easily mutable. Natural substances are used, wood, metal, particular compounds, atomic elements and so on. These are subject to chemical or even nuclear analysis and production, but eventually one reaches a place where Nature takes over the task of design.

In biology it is the reverse. No human hand has created these designs. The organism stands for itself, and even at the molecular level the codons of the DNA are not symbols. They do not stand for something other than themselves. They cooperate in a process of production, but no one wrote their sequence as software. There is no software. There is no distinction between hardware and software in biology.

In logic a form arises via the syntax and alphabet of a given formal system. That formal system arises via the choices of the mathematicians who create it. They create it through appropriate abstractions. Human understanding fuels the operation of a formal system. Understanding imaged into programming fuels the machine operation of a mechanical image of that formal system. The fact that both humans and machines can operate a given formal system has lead to much confusion, for they operate it quite differently.

Humans are always on the edge of breaking the rules either through error or inspiration. Machines are designed by humans to follow the rules, and are repaired when they do not do so. Humans are encouraged to operate through understanding, and to create new formal systems (in the best of all possible worlds).

Here is the ancient polarity of syntax (for the machine) and semantics (for the person). The person must mix syntax and semantics to come to understanding. So far, we have only demanded an adherence to syntax from the machines.

The movement back and forth between syntax and semantics underlies all attempts to create logical or mathematical form. This is the cognition behind a given formal system. There are those who would like to create cognition on the basis of syntax alone. But the cognition that we all know is a byproduct or an accompaniment to biology. Biological cognition comes from a domain where there is at base no distinction between syntax and semantics. To say that there is no distinction between syntax and semantics in biology is not to say that it is pure syntax. Syntax is born of the possibility of such a distinction.

In biology an energetic chemical and quantum substrate gives rise to a “syntax” of combinational forms (DNA, RNA, the proteins, the cell itself, the organization of cells into the organism). These combinational forms give rise to cognition in human organisms. Cognition gives rise to the distinction of syntax and semantics. Cognition gives rise to the possibility of design, measurement, communication, language, physics and technology.

In this paper we have covered a wide ground of ideas related to the foundations of mathematics and its relationship with biology and with physics. There is much more to explore in these domains. The result of our exploration has been the articulation of a mathematical region that lies in the crack between set theory and its notational foundations. We have articulated the concepts of container $`<>`$ and extainer $`><`$ and shown how the formal algebras generated by these forms encompass significant parts of the logic of DNA replication, the Dirac formalism for quantum mechanics, formalism for protein folding and the Temperley Lieb algebra at the foundations of topological invariants of knots and links. It is the mathematician’s duty to point out formal domains that apply to a multiplicity of contexts. In this case we suggest that it is just possible that there are deeper connections among these apparently diverse contexts that are only hinted at in the steps taken so far. The common formalism can act as compass and guide for further exploration.

L.H.Kauffman: Department of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science, University of Illinois at Chicago, 851 South Morgan St., Chicago IL 60607-7045, U.S.A.

E-mail: kauffman@math.uic.edu


text:
# van Douwen’s problems related to the Bohr topology

## 1. Introduction

Although fourteen years have passed since Eric van Douwen’s untimely death, his work is still of importance to general topologists. His questions (many of which remain open) continue to provide ideas and inspiration to all of us. This survey collects recent results connected to some of the problems set by van Douwen in his posthumous paper  on Bohr topology (see also \[32, §4\],  for the list of 200 questions raised by van Douwen in his publications with references to the relevant literature). The selection of the problems as well as the the information about their present status, are due to author’s personal taste and knowledge, without any pretension for completeness.

The Bohr topology of an abelian group $`G`$ is the largest totally bounded group topology on $`G`$. It can be realized as the initial topology on $`G`$ with respect to the family of all homomorphisms of $`G`$ into the circle group $`𝕋`$, i.e., the topology induced on $`G`$ under the canonical embedding $`G𝕋^{Hom(G,𝕋)}`$. In the sequel $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ will denote the group $`G`$ equipped with the Bohr topology. The completion of $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ is known as the Bohr compactification of $`G`$ and denoted by $`\mathrm{b}G`$ (defined otherwise with the property that every homomorphism of $`G`$ into a compact group $`K`$ extends to a continuous homomorphism of the group $`\mathrm{b}G`$ in $`K`$).

In §1 we recall some well-known properties of the Bohr topology and the problems related to the topological properties (dimension, normality and realcompactness) of $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$. In §2 we outline the problems related to the discrete sets in the Bohr topology. To the most relevant problem, namely the homeomorphism problem (on whether the Bohr topologies of abelian groups of the same cardinality must be homeomorphic), is discussed in §4. The last section is dedicated to problems related to retracts of $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$.

### Notation and terminology

The symbols $``$, $``$ and $``$ are used for the set of positive integers, the group of integers and the group of rationals, respectively. The circle group $`𝕋`$ is identified with the quotient group $`/`$ of the reals $``$ and carries its usual compact topology. The cyclic group of order $`m`$ is denoted by $`_m`$ and $`B_\kappa =_\kappa _2`$ denotes the Boolean group of size $`\kappa `$. The $`p`$-adic integers are denoted by $`𝕁_p`$.

Let $`G`$ be a group. The set of torsion elements of $`G`$ is denoted by $`\mathrm{tor}(G)`$ (it is a subgroup of $`G`$ when $`G`$ is abelian). For abelian groups $`G,H`$ we denote by $`Hom(G,H)`$ the set of all homomorphisms $`GH`$ and call a map $`\mathrm{}:GH`$ linear if $`\mathrm{}(x)=h(x)+a`$ for some $`hHom(G,H)`$, $`aH`$ and for every $`xG`$. Since $`Hom(B_\kappa ,𝕋)=Hom(B_\kappa ,_2)`$, a typical subbasic open neighbourhood of $`0`$ in $`B_\kappa ^\mathrm{\#}`$ is $`\mathrm{ker}\chi `$, for a homomorphism $`\chi :B_\kappa _2`$.

The symbol $`𝔠`$ stands for the cardinality of the continuum, so $`𝔠=2^\mathrm{}_0`$. For undefined terms see .

## 2. Some properties of the Bohr topology

We list below some well known properties of the Bohr topology.

* Every linear map $`\mathrm{}:G^\mathrm{\#}H^\mathrm{\#}`$ is continuous (i.e., the Bohr topology is functorial).
* For every subgroup $`H`$ of $`G`$:

+ $`H^\mathrm{\#}`$ is a topological subgroup of $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$;
    + $`(G/H)^\mathrm{\#}`$ carries the quotient topology of $`G^\mathrm{\#}/H`$ (i.e., the map $`G^\mathrm{\#}(G/H)^\mathrm{\#}`$ is open);
    + if $`G=H\times L`$, then $`G^\mathrm{\#}=H^\mathrm{\#}\times L^\mathrm{\#}`$.
* If $`G`$ has exponent $`m`$ (that is, $`(xG)mx=0`$), then $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ carries the profinite topology (i.e., the finite-index subgroups of $`G`$ form a local base at 0).
* The weight and the character of $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ coincide with $`2^{|G|}`$ (so that an infinite $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ is never metrizable).

### 2.1. Dimension, normality and compactness

van Douwen proved that $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ is zero-dimensional for every abelian group $`G`$ (\[31, Theorem 4.8\]) and asked whether it is strongly zero-dimensional \[31, Question 4.10\]. A positive answer was obtained by Shakhmatov  in the following more general setting. He proved that every zero-dimensional totally bounded group is strongly zero-dimensional. A further generalization was obtained by Hernández , who proved that for every locally compact abelian group $`G`$ the Lebesgue covering dimensions of the groups $`G`$ and $`G^+`$ coincide (here $`G^+`$ denotes the group $`G`$ equipped with its Bohr topology, defined as in the discrete case as the initial topology on $`G`$ with respect to the family of all continuous homomorphisms of $`G𝕋`$). For discrete $`G`$ this gives another solution of van Douwen’s problem.

van Douwen proved that $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ is not paracompact in cases of interest:

###### Fact 2.1.

\[31, Fact 4.11\] $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ is paracompact iff $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ is collectionwise normal iff $`G`$ is countable.

He asked whether $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ is (always) normal (\[31, Question 4.10\]). Trigos-Arrieta  showed that one can add also “normal” in the above chain of equivalences, i.e., $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ is normal iff $`G`$ is countable. This result is remarkable, since it gives an easy “uniform” example of non-normal group topology on every uncountable abelian group. Indeed, the known examples of non-normal Hausdorff topological groups were the uncountable powers of $``$ or free topological groups , i.e., groups with rather stringent conditions on the algebraic structure.

Let us discuss now the degree of compactness of $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$. On one hand it is totally bounded, so close to being compact in this sense. On the other hand, some of the typical properties of the compact groups are not shared by $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$. It is well known that the compact groups are dyadic spaces (), so they have plenty of non-trivial convergent sequences. Flor  proved that the only convergent sequences in $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ are the trivial ones (so $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ is never sequential). This follows also from the following more general fact, proved by Glicksberg : the only compact sets in $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ are finite. Flor  proved also that actually no non-trivial sequence in $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ converges to a point of $`\mathrm{b}G`$. van Douwen noticed that this follows from the following stronger property of $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$: if $`AG^\mathrm{\#}`$ is infinite and $`p\mathrm{b}G`$, then there exists a neighbourhood $`U`$ of $`p`$ in $`\mathrm{b}G`$ such that $`|AU|=|A|`$ \[31, Theorem 1.1.3(a)\].

As far as other weaker forms of compactness are concerned, it was proved by Comfort and Saks  that $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ is never pseudocompact when $`G`$ is infinite. van Douwen strengthens this fact by showing that $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ is never a Baire space, when $`G`$ is infinite \[31, Corollary 4.7(b)\].

A. Dow (cf. \[31, Fact 4.15\]) noticed that $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ is not realcompact when $`|G|`$ is Ulam-measurable. This motivated

###### Question 2.2.

\[31, Question 4.16\] Is $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ realcompact if $`|G|`$ is not Ulam-measurable?

This question was answered positively by Comfort, Hernández and Trigos-Arrieta (\[2, Theorem 3.3\]). Moreover, they extended this result to the locally compact case by proving that for a locally compact abelian group $`G`$ the group $`G^+`$ is realcompact if and only if $`G`$ is realcompact \[2, Theorem 3.8\].

## 3. The relatively discrete sets

van Douwen proved that $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ contains relatively discrete closed sets of size $`\kappa `$ for every cardinal $`\kappa |G|`$ that is not Ulam-measurable (cf. \[31, p. 1073\], this follows from Theorem 3.6). This is why he asked whether this can be done for all cardinals $`\kappa |G|`$, and in particular:

###### Question 3.1.

\[31, Question 4.14\], \[32, §4, Question 83\] Does $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ contain relatively discrete closed sets of size $`|G|`$?

The following strong positive answer was obtained by Hart and van Mill :

###### Theorem 3.2.

Every subset $`A`$ of $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ has a relatively discrete subset $`D`$ such that $`|D|=|A|`$ and $`D`$ is closed in $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$.

The following question of van Douwen is obviously motivated by Question 3.1 (note that the groups $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ have plenty of relatively discrete sets, cf. 3.6).

###### Question 3.3.

\[31, Question 4.17\], \[32, §4.3, p. 20, Question 85\] If $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ is infinite, does $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ have a relatively discrete subset that is not closed ?

It was proved by Hart and van Mill \[16, Example 0.2\] that every Boolean group $`B_\kappa `$ admits a relatively discrete subset that is not closed. Namely, the set $`[\kappa ]^2`$ has this property. In other words, the subset $`𝒟_\kappa =\{0\}[\kappa ]^2`$ of $`B_\kappa ^\mathrm{\#}`$ carrying the induced topology has a relatively discrete non-closed subset (namely, $`[\kappa ]^2`$).

In 1991, Ursul  answered positively Question 3.3. Later Protasov  gave a short and clear proof of a more general result: If $`A`$ is an infinite totally bounded subset of a topological group $`G`$, then the set $`AA^1`$ contains a discrete non-closed subset.

The following theorem of K. Kunen and W. Rudin  provides, in particular, another positive answer to Question 3.3 (just take the set $`(AA)\{0\}`$).

###### Theorem 3.4.

Every $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ contains a relatively discrete set $`A`$ of size $`|G|`$ such that:

* $`A`$ is $`C^{}`$-embedded in $`\mathrm{b}G`$,
* 0 is the only limit point of $`AA`$,
* $`A+A`$ has no limit points in $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ if $`(G:G[2])=|G|`$.

An alternative approach to Question 3.3 is possible due to the above mentioned example of Hart and van Mill . Clearly, the groups $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ that contain a copy of $`𝒟_\omega `$ are settled by that example. Therefore, it remains to apply the following result proved in :

###### Proposition 3.5.

Let $`G`$ be an abelian group, let $`\kappa `$ be an infinite cardinal and let $`f:\kappa G`$ be an arbitrary function. Then the map $`\mu _f:𝒟_\kappa G^\mathrm{\#}`$ defined by $`\mu _f(0)=0`$ and $`\mu _f(\alpha ,\beta )=f(\alpha )f(\beta )`$ is continuous. Moreover, if the family $`\{f(\alpha ):\alpha <\kappa \}`$ is independent, then $`\mu _f`$ is an embedding.

The only cases left out by the embedding part of Proposition 3.5 are the groups $`G`$ that do not contain an infinite direct sum of non-trivial subgroups. In such a case $`G`$ either contains a copy of $``$, or a copy of the Prüfer group $`(p^{\mathrm{}})`$. Hence one can argue with $`G=`$ and $`G=(p^{\mathrm{}})`$. In both cases one can easily construct the desired set $`A`$ as follows. Let $`B=\{b_n\}`$ be a countable subset of an abelian group $`G`$ such that:

* $`0B`$ and $`B(B+B)=\mathrm{}`$;
* there exists a metrizable totally bounded group topology $`\tau `$ on $`G`$ such that $`b_n0`$ in $`\tau `$.

Then $`A=(BB)\{0\}`$ is a relatively discrete non closed set of $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$. Indeed, it is easy to see that $`0`$ belongs to the closure of $`A`$ in any totally bounded topology of $`G`$. On the other hand, $`A`$ is relatively discrete in $`(G,\tau )`$, hence in $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ too. In the case of $`G=`$ (ii) can be ensured if $`b_{n+1}/b_n`$ tends to infinity, according to . To ensure also (i) take $`b_n=n!`$. For $`G=(p^{\mathrm{}})`$ the sequence $`b_n=p^{n!}+`$ works.

One can prove that the map $`\mu _f`$ in Proposition 3.5 is generic in the following sense: if $`\kappa >𝔠`$ and $`h:𝒟_\kappa H^\mathrm{\#}`$ is continuous with $`h(0)=0`$, then there exists an infinite $`S\kappa `$ and $`f:SD(H)`$ such that $`h`$ coincides with $`\mu _f`$ when restricted to $`\{0\}[S]^2`$ ().

### 3.1. Relatively discrete, $`C`$-embedded sets

van Douwen \[31, Theorem 1.1.3 (a)\] showed that

###### Theorem 3.6.

Every subset $`A`$ of $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ has a relatively discrete subset $`D`$ such that $`|D|=|A|,D`$ is $`C`$-embedded in $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ and $`C^{}`$-embedded in $`\mathrm{b}G`$.

An alternative proof of this result was given by Galindo and S. Hernández . The following extension of this result to the locally compact case was obtained later by the same authors . Let $`G`$ be an abelian $`_{\mathrm{}}`$-group in the sense of  (i.e., the topology of $`G`$ is the intersection of a non-increasing sequence of locally compact group topologies). For a subset $`A`$ of a group $`G`$ they denote by $`B(A)`$ the minimum size of a family of bounded sets covering $`A`$ (a subset $`B`$ of a topological group $`G`$ is bounded in this sense if for every neighbourhood $`U`$ of $`0G`$ there exists a finite subset $`F`$ of $`B`$ and a natural number $`n`$ such that $`B`$ is contained in $`F+\underset{n}{\underset{}{U+\mathrm{}+U}}`$ ). The authors prove that every subset $`A`$ of $`G`$ has a relatively discrete subset $`B`$ with $`|B|=B(A)`$ and such that $`B`$ is $`C`$-embedded in $`G^+`$ and $`C^{}`$-embedded in $`\mathrm{b}G`$ (this is the completion of $`G^+`$ as in the discrete case). When $`G`$ is discrete, this obviously gives Theorem 3.6.

## 4. The homeomorphism problem

The following question of van Douwen \[1, Question 515\] is motivated by the fact that none of the properties described in §2 depend on the algebraic structure of the group $`G`$.

###### Question 4.1.

If $`G`$ and $`H`$ are discrete abelian groups of the same cardinality are then $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ and $`H^\mathrm{\#}`$ homeomorphic as topological spaces?

The question cannot be found explicitly in . According to the reference of , it was posed in van Douwen’s letters to W. Comfort of 30 June 1986 and 9 May 1987.

### 4.1. The first non-homeomorphism theorems

A negative answer to Question 4.1 was given by Kunen  in 1996:

###### Theorem 4.2.

 $`(_\omega _p)^\mathrm{\#}`$ and $`(_\omega _q)^\mathrm{\#}`$ are not homeomorphic for primes $`pq`$.

The proof of this theorem makes use of a Ramsey-style partition property of sequences $`X=x_s:s[\omega ]^n`$ in $`_\omega _q`$ (namely, every sequence splits into a sum of finitely many linearly independent normal forms, cf. ). This property is established by means of Ramsey ultrafilters. Although Ramsey ultrafilters exist under CH , the proof does not depend on CH.

Another solution was obtained about the same time by Watson and the author :

###### Theorem 4.3.

$`B_\kappa ^\mathrm{\#}`$ and $`(_\kappa _3)^\mathrm{\#}`$ are not homeomorphic for $`\kappa >2^{2^𝔠}`$.

A different partition theorem was used in , based on splitting of the supports of the members of $`X=x_s:s[\kappa ]^n`$ in a many-variable Delta system lemma style (essentially contained in ). Two features should be mentioned in the comparison of the partition theorems used in . First, the “elementary forms” appearing in these partition theorems are different, secondly, the combinatorics behind the proof is different too. Indeed, while the proof presented in  works for countable groups and fully exploits the fact that the codomain is a vector space over a finite field, the proof in  requires larger groups, but allows for a substantial generalization (see §4.2).

It should be mentioned that this approach gives more than just non-homeomorphism theorems. More precisely, the following theorem was proved by Kunen.

###### Theorem 4.4.

 If $`f:\{0\}[\omega ]^4(_\omega _q)^\mathrm{\#}`$ is a continuous map, where $`\{0\}[\omega ]^4`$ carries the topology induced by $`(_\omega _p)^\mathrm{\#}`$, then $`f`$ is constant on $`[S]^4`$ for some infinite $`S\omega `$.

Clearly, Theorem 4.2 follows immediately from Theorem 4.4.

###### Remark 4.5.

* An analogous result holds for $`\kappa >2^{2^𝔠}`$ and continuous maps $`f:\{0\}[\kappa ]^4(_\kappa _3)^\mathrm{\#}`$, where $`\{0\}[\kappa ]^4`$ carries the topology induced by $`B_\kappa ^\mathrm{\#}`$ . Here $`\kappa >\omega `$ is needed only when $`|\mathrm{supp}f(\alpha ,\beta ,\gamma ,\delta )|`$ is unbounded: if $`f:\{0\}[\omega ]^4(_\omega _q)^\mathrm{\#}`$ is a continuous map, where $`|\mathrm{supp}f(\alpha ,\beta ,\gamma ,\delta )|`$ is bounded, then $`f`$ is constant on $`[S]^4`$ for some infinite $`S\omega `$ . Consequently, every continuous map $`B_\kappa ^\mathrm{\#}(_\omega _3)^\mathrm{\#}`$ is constant on some infinite subset of $`B_\kappa `$ hence cannot be a homeomorphism.
* It was shown later in  that the group $`_\kappa _3`$ in Theorem 4.3 can be replaced by any abelian group without infinite Boolean subgroups  (cf. Corollary 4.10).

According to Proposition 3.5, there is a continuous one-to-one map $`𝒟_\kappa G^\mathrm{\#}`$, with $`\kappa =|G|`$ for every infinite abelian group $`G`$. This shows that one cannot argue with doubletons in Theorem 4.4 or in Remark 4.5 (for $`\kappa =\omega `$ and $`G=_\omega _3`$ this example was given in ).

### 4.2. Continuous maps in the Bohr topology

Theorem 4.4 and Remark 4.5 suggest that continuous maps $`f:B_\kappa ^\mathrm{\#}(_\kappa _3)^\mathrm{\#}`$ are “frequently constant”. It is natural to relate this phenomenon to the fact that $`Hom(L,_\omega _3)=0`$ for every subgroup $`L`$ of $`B_\kappa `$ (so every linear map $`L_\omega _3`$ is constant). Hence a general approach to Question 4.1 can be based on the following idea: prove that continuous maps $`f:G^\mathrm{\#}H^\mathrm{\#}`$ are always linear on some non-singleton (even infinite) subset of $`G`$. If $`Hom(L,H)=0`$ for every subgroup $`L`$ of $`G`$ (this entails $`G`$ is torsion), then one obtains a non-homeomorphism theorem in the framework of Question 4.1. Let us give the relevant definition in a more precise form:

###### Definition 4.6.

For abelian groups $`G,H`$ and $`AG`$ a map $`f:AH`$ is linear on $`A`$ if $`f`$ coincides on $`A`$ with the restriction of a linear map $`\mathrm{}:\text{span}(A)H`$.

The next example, due to Comfort, Hernández, Trigos-Arrieta  (see also 5.1), shows that such an “approximation” by linear maps is not available in general:

###### Example 4.7.

$`^\mathrm{\#}`$ is homeomorphic to $`((/)\times )^\mathrm{\#}=(/)^\mathrm{\#}\times ^\mathrm{\#}`$, so there exists an embedding $`j:(/)^\mathrm{\#}^\mathrm{\#}`$. Now $`Hom(A,)=0`$ for every subgroup $`A`$ of $`/`$, so every linear map $`/`$ is constant. Thus, $`j`$ is never linear on any non-singleton $`S/`$.

#### 4.2.1. The Straightening Law for Boolean subgroups

The partition property of sequences $`X=x_s:s[\kappa ]^4`$ in $`_\omega _3`$ used in  is modified in  replacing the group $`_\kappa _3`$ by a direct sum of copies of an arbitrary countable abelian group. This partition theorem is applied to obtain the following theorem in the framework of the above mentioned programme of “approximation of continuous maps by linear ones”. For the sake of brevity we call it Straightening Law in the sequel.

###### Theorem 4.8.

Let $`H`$ be an arbitrary abelian group. If $`\kappa >2^{2^𝔠}`$ and $`f:\{0\}[\kappa ]^4H^\mathrm{\#}`$ is a continuous map, where $`\{0\}[\kappa ]^4`$ carries the topology induced by $`B_\kappa ^\mathrm{\#}`$, then $`f`$ is linear on $`\{0\}[S]^4`$ for some infinite $`S\kappa `$.

Consequently, either $`f`$ is constant on $`[S]^4`$, or $`f`$ coincides on $`[S]^4`$ with the restriction of an injective linear map $`\mathrm{}:span(S)H`$ (for some smaller $`S`$).

###### Corollary 4.9.

Let $`H`$ be an arbitrary abelian group. If $`\kappa >2^{2^𝔠}`$ and $`f:B_\kappa ^\mathrm{\#}H^\mathrm{\#}`$ is a continuous map, then there exists an infinite $`S\kappa `$ such that $`f`$ is linear on $`S+S=\{0\}[S]^2`$.

###### Corollary 4.10.

There exist no continuous finite-to-one maps $`f:G^\mathrm{\#}H^\mathrm{\#}`$ if the abelian group $`G`$ contains Boolean subgroups of size $`>2^{2^𝔠}`$ and the abelian group $`H`$ admits no infinite Boolean subgroups.

This leaves open the following

###### Question 4.11.

For which infinite cardinals $`\kappa `$ does there exist a continuous 1-1 map from $`B_\kappa ^\mathrm{\#}`$ to any torsion-free group $`H^\mathrm{\#}`$?

Such a $`\kappa `$ must be $`2^{2^𝔠}`$ according to Corollary 4.10. Let us note that also that it suffices the take $`H=_\omega `$.

It follows from the Corollary 4.10 that the Bohr topology can detect Boolean subgroups in the following sense: If $`G`$ and $`H`$ are abelian groups such that the Bohr topologies of the (discrete) powers $`G^{2^{2^𝔠}}`$ and $`H^{2^{2^𝔠}}`$ are homeomorphic, then $`G`$ contains non-trivial Boolean subgroups iff $`H`$ does. Note that $`|G|=|H|`$ need not hold and the groups may be finite.

#### 4.2.2. The Straightening Law in the general case

It is shown in  that the Straightening Law holds (with appropriate modifications) also in the more general context when the Boolean group $`B_\kappa `$ is replaced by a vector space over the finite field $`/p`$. Therefore, the Bohr topology can measure, roughly speaking, also $`p`$-subgroups of the abelian groups. Let us note that Theorem 4.4 can be considered as a first instance of the Straightening Law in this context, since in that situation the constant maps are precisely the restrictions of the linear ones.

The proofs in  are based on an appropriate combination and development of ideas from  and  that lead to a partition theorem (in the spirit of , improving the “independence” property of the normal forms) for ‘sequences’ $`X=x_s:s[\kappa ]^n`$ in direct sums $`_\kappa K`$, where $`K`$ is an arbitrary countable abelian group. The price to pay is to increase the cardinality asking $`\kappa >\mathrm{}_{n1}`$. Indeed, easy examples show that countable sequences and spaces cannot suffice in the case of vector spaces over a countably infinite field. Let us note also that the partition theorem from , easily extendible to $`n`$-ary sequences $`X=x_s:s[\kappa ]^n`$ in direct sums $`_\kappa K`$, cannot help either. Indeed, the normal forms in these partition theorems need not be independent as in , so such partition theorem cannot be used to obtain a proof of the Straightening Law following the argument in . It is shown in  that with some additional care such a kind of independence can be achieved.

From now on $`p`$ will be an arbitrarily fixed prime number and $`V_\kappa `$ will be the vector space of size $`\kappa `$ over $`_p`$. In these terms the Straightening Law in the general case can be announced as follows: For $`\kappa >\mathrm{}_{2p1}`$ and a continuous map $`\pi :\{0\}[\kappa ]^{2p}H^\mathrm{\#}`$, where $`\{0\}[\kappa ]^{2p}`$ is equipped with the induced from $`V_\kappa ^\mathrm{\#}`$ topology, there exists an infinite $`S\kappa `$ such that $`\pi `$ is linear on $`[S]^{2p}`$ . In analogy to the case of Boolean subgroups, one can replace $`[S]^{2p}`$ by $`[S]^p`$ and assume that the linear map is either constant or injective.

###### Theorem 4.12.

If $`\kappa >\mathrm{}_{2p1}`$ and $`f:V_\kappa ^\mathrm{\#}H^\mathrm{\#}`$ is a continuous map, then there exists an infinite $`S\kappa `$ such that $`f`$ is linear on $`[S]^p`$.

This theorem implies that for every continuous self-map $`f:(_\kappa _{p^2})^\mathrm{\#}(_\kappa _{p^2})^\mathrm{\#}`$ with $`\kappa >\mathrm{}_{2p1}`$ there exists a subset $`A`$ of $`_\kappa _{p^2}`$ such that $`pA`$ is infinite and $`f`$ is linear on $`[pA]^p`$.

Theorem 4.12 has also the following immediate consequence.

###### Corollary 4.13.

If the abelian group $`H`$ contains no copies of $`V_\omega `$, then there exists no continuous finite-to-one map $`\pi :(_\kappa _p)^\mathrm{\#}H^\mathrm{\#}`$ for $`\kappa >\mathrm{}_{2p1}`$.

Now we see that there exists no continuous finitely many-to-one map $`G^\mathrm{\#}H^\mathrm{\#}`$, when $`H`$ is torsion-free and $`G`$ is an abelian group with large $`p`$-subgroups for some prime number $`p`$.

###### Corollary 4.14.

Let $`p`$ be a prime number. There exist no finitely many-to-one continuous maps $`f:G^\mathrm{\#}H^\mathrm{\#}`$ if $`G`$ contains $`p`$-subgroups of size $`>\mathrm{}_{2p1}`$ and $`H`$ contains no copies of $`V_\omega `$.

Following  we say that an abelian group $`H`$ is almost torsion-free if $`H`$ contains no copies of $`V_\omega `$ for every prime $`p`$. Corollary 4.14 implies that if $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ and $`H^\mathrm{\#}`$ are homeomorphic and $`H`$ is almost torsion-free, then $`|\mathrm{tor}(G)|\mathrm{}_\omega `$.

These results give many pairs of groups $`G`$ and $`H`$ non-homeomorphic in the Bohr topology. For example, when $`H`$ is almost torsion-free with $`|H|=\kappa >\mathrm{}_{2m1}`$, $`L`$ is arbitrary with $`|L|\kappa `$, and $`G=L\times (_\kappa _m)`$.

###### Corollary 4.15.

Let $`p`$ be a prime number and let $`G`$, $`H`$ be abelian groups such that the powers $`H^\kappa `$ and $`G^\kappa `$ are homeomorphic in the Bohr topology for some infinite cardinal $`\kappa \mathrm{}_{2p1}`$. Then $`G`$ contains non-trivial $`p`$-subgroups iff $`H`$ does.

###### Corollary 4.16.

If $`\kappa \mathrm{}_\omega `$ and $`H^\kappa `$ and $`G^\kappa `$ are homeomorphic in the Bohr topology, then for every prime $`p`$, $`G`$ contains non-trivial $`p`$-subgroups iff $`H`$ does. In particular, $`G`$ is torsion-free iff $`H`$ is torsion-free.

#### 4.2.3. Stronger form of the Straightening Law

Let us discuss now the limits of the Straightening Law. We do not know whether the following stronger forms of the Straightening Law hold true. The first one is determined by smaller domain:

###### Strong Straightening Law.

For every prime number $`p`$ and for every continuous map $`\pi :V_\omega ^\mathrm{\#}H^\mathrm{\#}`$ there exists an infinite set $`Z\omega `$ such that $`\pi `$ is linear on $`[Z]^p`$.

It obviously implies that for no almost torsion-free abelian group $`H`$ there is a 1-1 map $`(/)^{(\omega )}H`$ continuous in the Bohr topology. Moreover, under this conjecture, a countable $`p`$-group $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ embeds into some torsion-free $`H^\mathrm{\#}`$ iff $`G`$ contains no copies of $`V_\omega `$. One can consider also “local” forms, e.g., about continuous maps $`B_\omega ^\mathrm{\#}H^\mathrm{\#}`$ (or $`V_\omega ^\mathrm{\#}H^\mathrm{\#}`$ for a particular fixed $`p`$).

To introduce the next stronger form of the Straightening Law we isolate first the following corollary of Theorem 4.12.

###### Corollary 4.17.

If $`G`$ is a torsion group of size $`>\mathrm{}_\omega `$, then every continuous map $`G^\mathrm{\#}H^\mathrm{\#}`$ is linear on some infinite set $`AG`$.

Clearly, “torsion” can be replaced by $`|\text{tor}(G)|>\mathrm{}_\omega `$.

###### Question 4.18.

Can “torsion” be completely removed in the above corollary?

In other words, does the corollary work with groups with “small” torsion part? Therefore, the second form (we formulate it as a question) is determined by torsion-free domain.

###### Question 4.19.

If $`G`$ is a sufficiently large torsion-free group, is then every continuous map $`G^\mathrm{\#}H^\mathrm{\#}`$ linear on some infinite set $`AG`$?

Clearly, “torsion-free” can be replaced by “free abelian”, i.e., is every continuous map $`(_\kappa )^\mathrm{\#}H^\mathrm{\#}`$ linear on some infinite set $`A_\kappa `$ ? In particular, the following question is left open.

###### Question 4.20.

Does there exist a continuous injective map $`^\mathrm{\#}T^\mathrm{\#}`$, with $`T`$ torsion abelian group?

One can always take $`T=_\omega /`$.

####

Now we shall discuss the third stronger form of the Straightening Law – when restriction to subgroups of continuous maps (in the Bohr topology) are linear. According to Theorem 4.8, if $`\kappa >\mathrm{}_3`$ and $`f:B_\kappa ^\mathrm{\#}H^\mathrm{\#}`$ is a continuous map, then $`f`$ is linear on infinitely many non-trivial subgroups of $`B_\kappa `$. Namely, if $`f`$ is linear on $`[S]^4`$ for an infinite $`S\kappa `$, then $`f`$ is linear on $`A=S+S+S+S=\{0\}[S]^2[S]^4=\overline{[S]^4}`$, so $`f`$ is linear on every cyclic subgroup $`span(a)`$, $`aA`$, as well as on any 2-generated subgroup of $`B_\kappa `$ with generators from $`S`$. It is clear, that taking a larger $`\kappa `$ (depending on $`k`$), one can obtain linearity on $`A=\{0\}[S]^2\mathrm{}[S]^{2k}=\overline{[S]^{2k}}`$ for any fixed $`k`$. Then $`f`$ is linear on every $`2k`$-generated subgroup of $`B_\kappa `$ with generators from $`S`$. This leaves open the following:

###### Question 4.21.

Is $`f`$ linear on some infinite subgroup of $`B_\kappa `$ if $`\kappa `$ is sufficiently large?

###### Question 4.22.

When every continuous map $`G^\mathrm{\#}H^\mathrm{\#}`$ is linear on some infinite subgroup of $`G`$?

Possible restraints to impose on $`G`$ are: “large”, Boolean, $`GV_\kappa `$ for some large $`\kappa `$.

###### Question 4.23.

Do there exist continuous maps $`f:G^\mathrm{\#}H^\mathrm{\#}`$ with uncountable $`G`$, that are not linear on any infinite subgroup of $`G`$?

Clearly, one has to rule out maps as $`j:(/)^\mathrm{\#}^\mathrm{\#}`$ by asking the existence of infinite subgroups $`A`$ of $`G`$ with $`Hom(A,H)0`$.

## 5. Retracts of $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$

van Douwen posed also the following questions about retracts of $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$:

###### Question 5.1.

\[31, Question 4.12\] Is every subgroup $`H`$ of a group $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ a retract of $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$?

Let us recall that every subgroup of $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ is closed.

###### Question 5.2.

\[31, Question 4.13\] Is every countable closed subset of $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ a retract of $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$?

###### Remark 5.3.

If a closed relatively discrete set $`RG^\mathrm{\#}`$ is a retract of $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$, then $`R`$ is countable. Indeed, if $`r:G^\mathrm{\#}R`$ is a retract, then $`r^1(R)`$ is disjoint union of $`|R|`$ open pairwise disjoint sets of $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$. Since $`c(G)=\omega `$, this implies $`R`$ is countable. It remains to note that if $`G`$ is uncountable, then $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ admits a relatively discrete subset $`R`$ of size $`|G|`$ (by Theorem 3.6). This explains why countable is imposed in Question 5.1.

A negative answer to the second question was obtained by Gladdines  in 1995. Now we offer a new much shorter proof of her theorem based on the non-homeomorphism theorems and the better knowledge of the continuous maps in the Bohr topology obtained after 1995.

###### Theorem 5.4.

 $`𝒟_\kappa =\{0\}[\omega ]^2`$ is not a retract of $`B_\omega ^\mathrm{\#}`$.

###### Proof.

Assume that $`r:B_\omega ^\mathrm{\#}\{0\}[\omega ]^2`$ is a retraction. Let $`H=_\omega _3`$, let $`e_n:n<\omega `$ be the canonical base of $`H`$ and let $`\mu :\{0\}[\omega ]^2H^\mathrm{\#}`$ be the continuous map defined by $`\mu (0)=0`$ and $`\mu (n,m)=e_ne_m`$ for $`n<m<\omega `$. Then $`\pi =\mu r:B_\omega ^\mathrm{\#}H^\mathrm{\#}`$ is continuous with $`|\mathrm{supp}\pi (x)|2`$ for all $`xB_\omega `$, so there exists an infinite subset $`S\omega `$ such that $`\pi `$ vanishes on $`[S]^4`$ (cf. Theorem 4.4 or Remark 4.5 (a)), hence also on $`[S]^2\overline{[S]^4}`$. A contradiction, since $`\pi [S]^2=\mu [S]^2`$ is injective (being $`r[S]^2=id_{[S]^2}`$). ∎

### 5.1. Subgroups as retracts

Question 5.2 is still open. Here we offer a comment on what was done so far.

In $`B_\kappa `$ every subgroup $`L`$ splits off $`B_\kappa =L\times K`$, hence $`L`$ is a topological group retract in $`B_\kappa ^\mathrm{\#}=L^\mathrm{\#}\times K^\mathrm{\#}`$. The same applies to $`V_\kappa ^\mathrm{\#}`$. In general, if $`H`$ has finite index in $`G`$, then $`H`$ is clopen in $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$, hence $`H`$ is a retract of $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ (for other instances see ).

A substantial contribution towards a solution to this problem was given by Comfort, Hernández and Trigos-Arrieta  by the introduction of an important notion that helps to understand better the nature of the retract problem in the case of subgroups. They call a subgroup $`H`$ of an abelian group $`G`$ a ccs-subgroup if the the natural map $`\phi :G^\mathrm{\#}G^\mathrm{\#}/H`$ has a cross section $`\mathrm{\Gamma }:G/HG`$ that is continuous  in the Bohr topology of $`G`$ and $`G/H`$. It is easy to see that in such a case $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ is homeomorphic to $`(G/H)^\mathrm{\#}\times H^\mathrm{\#}`$. In particular, $`H`$ is a retract of $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$ and $`(G/H)^\mathrm{\#}`$ embeds into $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$. The existence of a Bohr-continuous cross section $`\mathrm{\Gamma }:G/HG`$ is equivalent to the existence of a retraction $`G^\mathrm{\#}H^\mathrm{\#}`$ such that $`r(x+h)=r(x)+h`$ for every $`hH`$ and every $`xG`$ (so that $`r`$ is a linear retraction ). In this sense the study of ccs-subgroups, proposed in , is a very natural modification of van Douwen’s Question 5.1.

Comfort, Hernández and Trigos-Arrieta  introduced the class $`\mathrm{𝐀𝐂𝐂𝐒}(\mathrm{\#})`$ of abelian groups $`H`$ that are ccs-subgroups of any abelian group that contains them and they showed that $`H\mathrm{𝐀𝐂𝐂𝐒}(\mathrm{\#})`$ iff $`H`$ is a ccs-subgroup of its the divisible hull. They showed that the class $`\mathrm{𝐀𝐂𝐂𝐒}(\mathrm{\#})`$ is closed under finite products and contains all finitely generated groups (and, of course, all divisible groups).

Here are some further examples of groups from $`\mathrm{𝐀𝐂𝐂𝐒}(\mathrm{\#})`$:

###### Example 5.5.

* () $`^n\mathrm{𝐀𝐂𝐂𝐒}(\mathrm{\#})`$ and consequently, $`(^n/^n)^\mathrm{\#}`$ embeds into $`(^n)^\mathrm{\#}`$ for every $`n<\omega `$. We repeat this example in view of its importance.
* () For every prime $`p`$ the group $`_\omega _p`$ is not a ccs-subgroup of $`_\omega _{p^2}`$ (so the group $`_\omega _p`$ does not belong to $`\mathrm{𝐀𝐂𝐂𝐒}(\mathrm{\#})`$).
* () Let $`\pi `$ be an arbitrary non-empty set of prime numbers.

+ The additive group $`H_\pi `$ of the subring of $``$ generated by the set $`\{1/p:p\pi \}`$ belongs to $`\mathrm{𝐀𝐂𝐂𝐒}(\mathrm{\#})`$ (for a singleton $`\pi =\{p\}`$ this was mentioned also in ). By varying $`\pi `$ this gives $`𝔠`$ many pairwise non-isomorphic rank-one torsion-free (reduced) groups in $`\mathrm{𝐀𝐂𝐂𝐒}(\mathrm{\#})`$.
    + The product $`_{p\pi }𝕁_p`$ belongs to $`\mathrm{𝐀𝐂𝐂𝐒}(\mathrm{\#})`$, where $`𝕁_p`$ denotes the group of $`p`$-adic integers. By varying $`\pi `$ this gives $`𝔠`$ many pairwise non-isomorphic reduced groups of size $`𝔠`$.

Some new restraints for the groups from $`\mathrm{𝐀𝐂𝐂𝐒}(\mathrm{\#})`$ are given in . They give an upper bound for the size of the reduced groups in $`\mathrm{𝐀𝐂𝐂𝐒}(\mathrm{\#})`$ (so that the reduced groups in $`\mathrm{𝐀𝐂𝐂𝐒}(\mathrm{\#})`$ form a set) and entails that large powers may belong to $`\mathrm{𝐀𝐂𝐂𝐒}(\mathrm{\#})`$ only if they are divisible. Under the assumption that the Strong Straightening Law holds, every reduced group $`H\mathrm{𝐀𝐂𝐂𝐒}(\mathrm{\#})`$ is almost torsion-free (so its torsion part is countable) and $`|H|𝔠`$ .

###### Question 5.6.

* () Is the subgroup $`H`$ of $``$ spanned by all fractions $`1/p`$, with $`p`$ prime, a retract (ccs-subgroup) of $`^\mathrm{\#}`$ ?
* () Is the subgroup $`_\omega _p`$ of $`G=_\omega _{p^2}`$ a retract of $`G^\mathrm{\#}`$?

“Yes” to item (a) is equivalent to $`_p_p\mathrm{𝐀𝐂𝐂𝐒}(\mathrm{\#})`$ . Item (b) is open even for $`p=2`$.