How to Define a Linear Order on Finite Models

Abstract We carry out a systematic investigation of the definability of linear order on classes of finite rigid structures. We obtain upper and lower bounds for the expressibility of linear order in various logics that have been studied extensively in finite model theory, such as least fixpoint logic LFP, partial fixpoint logic PFP, infinitary logic L ω ∞ ω with a finite number of variables, as well as the closures of these logics under implicit definitions. Moreover, we show that the upper and lower bounds established here cannot be made substantially tighter, unless outstanding conjectures in complexity theory are resolved at the same time.

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