[Math] Intuitionistic proof of $\forall x(P(x)\lor Q(x))\to(\forall x P(x)\lor\exists x Q(x))$

constructive-mathematicslogicpredicate-logic

Similar to Is $ \forall x(P(x) \lor Q(x)) \vdash \forall x P(x) \lor \exists xQ(x) $ provable?, but with intuitionistic logic. I expect it is not, since I don't think the $\exists x Q(x)$ on the right is very "constructive", but curiously the finite version of this

$$((p_1\lor q_1)\land(p_2\lor q_2))\to((p_1\land p_2)\lor(q_1\lor q_2))$$

is intutitionistically provable, since you can break up the left side into four cases and verify that each satisfies the right side.

Best Answer

No, it is not intuitionistically valid. Here is a Kripke model where it doesn't hold:

There are two frames, $w$ and $u$ with $w<u$.

In $w$ the universe is $\{\mathtt a\}$ and $P(\mathtt a)$ is true.

In $u$ the universe is $\{\mathtt a,\mathtt b\}$, and $P(\mathtt a)$ and $Q(\mathtt b)$ are true.

Then both frames satisfy $\forall x(P(x)\lor Q(x))$.

However $w$ doesn't satisfy $\forall x\,P(x) \lor \exists x\,Q(x)$. The first disjunct is false because the intuitionistic interpretation of $\forall$ must be true in all reachable frames (and it clearly isn't true in $u$), and the second is clearly false in $w$.