Hardy hierarchy


In computability theory, computational complexity theory and proof theory, the Hardy hierarchy, named after G. H. Hardy, is an ordinal-indexed family of functions hα: N → N. It is related to the fast-growing hierarchy and slow-growing hierarchy. The hierarchy was first described in Hardy's 1904 paper, "A theorem concerning the infinite cardinal numbers".

Definition

Let μ be a large countable ordinal such that a fundamental sequence is assigned to every limit ordinal less than μ. The Hardy hierarchy of functions hα: N → N, for α < μ, is then defined as follows:
Here α denotes the nth element of the fundamental sequence assigned to the limit ordinal α. A standardized choice of fundamental sequence for all α ≤ ε0 is described in the article on the fast-growing hierarchy.
Caicedo defines a modified Hardy hierarchy of functions by using the standard fundamental sequences, but with α in the third line of the above definition.

Relation to fast-growing hierarchy

The Wainer hierarchy of functions fα and the Hardy hierarchy of functions hα are related by fα = hωα for all α < ε0. Thus, for any α < ε0, hα grows much more slowly than does fα. However, the Hardy hierarchy "catches up" to the Wainer hierarchy at α = ε0, such that fε0 and hε0 have the same growth rate, in the sense that fε0 ≤ hε0 ≤ fε0 for all n ≥ 1.