The stable forking conjecture

From papers

Let TT be a simple L\mathcal{L}-theory, and let aa, bb, and CC be tuples or sets in a sufficiently saturated model of TT. Write a\mathpalette\notindCba \mathrel{\mathop{\mathpalette\notind{}}_{C}} b for forking dependence over CC, and let tp(a/Cb)\operatorname{tp}(a/Cb) denote the type of aa over CbCb. A formula φ(x,y)\varphi(x,y) is stable when it does not have the order property.

Stable forking conjecture. If a\mathpalette\notindCba \mathrel{\mathop{\mathpalette\notind{}}_{C}} b, then there is a formula φ(x,b)tp(a/Cb)\varphi(x,\overline{b})\in\operatorname{tp}(a/Cb) such that φ(x,b)\varphi(x,\overline{b}) forks over CC, and such that φ(x,y)\varphi(x,y) is stable.

This conjecture proposes that every forking dependence instance in a simple theory is witnessed by a stable formula. Its status is not resolved in the source.

Progress summary

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Sources & referencesView supporting material

Primary source

Scott Mutchnik, “Reducing stable forking dependence to finitely many pregeometries”, arXiv:2607.09069 (2026).

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