Decision problem for separated distributive lattices

Abstract

AbstractIt is well known that for all recursively enumerable sets X1, X2 there are disjoint recursively enumerable sets Y1 ⊆ Y2 such that Y ⊆ X1, Y2 ⊆ X2 and Y1, ⋃ Y2 = X1 ⋃ X2. Alistair Lachlan called distributive lattices satisfying this property separated. He proved that the first-order theory of finite separated distributive lattices is decidable. We prove here that the first-order theory of all separated distributive lattices is undecidable.