By an algebra is meant an ordered set Γ = 〈V,R1, …, Rn, O1, …, Om〉, where V is a class, Ri (1 ≤ i ≤, n) is a relation on nj elements of V (i.e. Ri ⊆ Vni), and Oj (1 ≤ i ≤ n) is an operation on elements of V such that Oj(x1, … xmj) ∈ V) for all x1, …, xmj ∈ V). A sentence S of the first-order functional calculus is valid in Γ, if it contains just individual variables x1, x2, …, relation variables ϱ1, …,ϱn, where ϱi,- is nj-ary (1 ≤ i ≤ n), and operation variables σ1, …, σm, where σj is mj-ary (1 ≤, j ≤ m), and S holds if the individual variables are interpreted as ranging over V, ϱi is interpreted as Ri, and σi as Oj. If {Γi}i≤α is a (finite or infinite) sequence of algebras Γi, where Γi = 〈Vi, Ri〉 and Ri, is a binary relation, then by the direct productΓ = Πi<αΓi is meant the algebra Γ = 〈V, R〉, where V consists of all (finite or infinite) sequences x = 〈x1, x2, …, xi, …〉 with Xi ∈ Vi and where R is a binary relation such that two elements x and y of V are in the relation R if and only if xi and yi- are in the relation Ri for each i < α.

The purpose of this paper is to give a partial answer to the question: How much is the induction axiom weakened if it is applied only to sentences with no bound variables? It is well known that for the full Peano arithmetic this is a weakening ([1] p. 90). We consider Peano arithmetic without multiplication, and give a full answer to the question. It turns out that only four new theorems can be proved from the weakened induction axiom; i.e., all further consequences of this axiom are derivable from these four.

We consider a system T formulated within the first-order predicate calculus with equality. The system contains the constant 0 and the three function symbols S (successor), P (predecessor), and +. The non-logical axioms are:

A sentence is open if it contains no bound variables. We obtain the system TI from T by adding the rule of inference:

(I) If A(x) is an open sentence, infer A(x) from A(0) and A(x) ⊃ A(Sx).

The following open sentences are easily proved in TI:

The system formed by adding (B1) - (B4) to T is called T′.

We abbreviate SS … Sx, where S occurs n times, to Snx. Similarly, we abbreviate (… (x+x)+ …) + x, where x occurs n times, to nx. A term of the form n1x1 + … + nkXk + Sp0 is called simple. An equation between simple terms is called a simple equation.

The system K′ of “extended basic logic” lacks a principle of extensionality. In this paper a system KE′ will be presented which is like K′ in many respects but which does possess a fairly strong principle of extensionality by way of rule 6.37 below. It will be shown that KE′ is free from contradiction. KE′ is especially well suited for formalizing the theory of numbers presented in my paper, On natural numbers, integers, and rationals. The methods used there can be applied even more directly here because of the freedom of KE′ from type restrictions, but the details of such a derivation of a portion of mathematics will not be presented in this paper. It is evident, moreover, that KE′ contains at least as much of mathematical analysis as does K′, and perhaps considerably more. The method of carrying out proofs in KE′ is closely similar to that used in my book Symbolic logic, and could be expressed in similar notation.