We give a new characterization of the hyperarithmetic sets: a set X of integers is recursive in e α if and only if there is a Turing machine which computes X and "halts" in less than or equal to the ordinal number ω α of steps. This result represents a generalization of the well-known "limit lemma" due to J. R. Shoenfield [Sho-1] and later independently by H. Putnam [Pu] and independently by E. M. Gold [Go]. As an application of this (...) result, we give a recursion theoretic analysis of clopen determinacy: there is a correlation given between the height α of a well-founded tree corresponding to a clopen game $A \subseteq \omega^\omega$ and the Turing degree of a winning strategy f for one of the players--roughly, f can be chosen to be recursive in 0 α and this is the best possible (see § 4 for precise results). (shrink)

In this paper we examine various requirements on the formalisation choices under which self-reference can be adequately formalised in arithmetic. In particular, we study self-referential numberings, which immediately provide a strong notion of self-reference even for expressively weak languages. The results of this paper suggest that the question whether truly self-referential reasoning can be formalised in arithmetic is more sensitive to the underlying coding apparatus than usually believed. As a case study, we show how this sensitivity affects the formal study (...) of certain principles of self-referential truth. (shrink)

Jockusch showed that 2-generic degrees are downward dense below a 2-generic degree. That is, if a is 2-generic, and $0 < {\bf{b}} < {\bf{a}}$, then there is a 2-generic g with $0 < {\bf{g}} < {\bf{b}}.$ In the case of 1-generic degrees Kumabe, and independently Chong and Downey, constructed a minimal degree computable from a 1-generic degree. We explore the tightness of these results.We solve a question of Barmpalias and Lewis-Pye by constructing a minimal degree computable from a weakly 2-generic (...) one. While there have been full approximation constructions of ${\rm{\Delta }}_3^0$ minimal degrees before, our proof is rather novel since it is a computable full approximation construction where both the generic and the minimal degrees are ${\rm{\Delta }}_3^0 - {\rm{\Delta }}_2^0$. (shrink)