I will discuss some aspects of the first-order theory of homeomorphism groups of connected manifolds. The main result is as follows. Let M be a compact, connected manifold. There is a sentence S(M) in the language of groups such that if N is an arbitrary manifold and the homeomorphism group of N models S(M) then N is homeomorphic to M. This resolves a conjecture of Rubin from the 1980s. I will illustrate some of the ingredients of the proof, including an interpretation of second order arithmetic in the theory of homeomorphism groups of manifolds.
This represents joint work with S. Kim and J. de la Nuez Gonzalez.
This video is part of the New York Group Theory Cooperative‘s group theory seminar series.
