A topos for étale-finite Heyting algebras

Abstract

A longstanding open problem posed by Andrew Pitts is whether every Heyting algebra is the lattice of truth values (i.e., of subterminal objects) of some elementary topos. A positive answer is known for complete Heyting algebras (i.e., locales) via sheaves, and for Boolean algebras via a construction due to Peter Freyd. We extend Freyd's construction to all étale-finite Heyting algebras, in the sense of Evgeny Kuznetsov. These are the Heyting algebras satisfying a generalisation of the law of excluded middle relative to some finite Heyting subalgebra. For every étale-finite Heyting algebra $H$, we use Esakia duality to construct an elementary topos whose lattice of truth values is isomorphic to $H$, thereby extending the class of Heyting algebras for which a positive answer to Pitts' question is known. The toposes we construct are categories of certain compact étale spaces. As a consequence, they are finitely propositional: every object has a finite cover by subterminal objects. We show that a Heyting algebra occurs as the lattice of truth values of some finitely propositional topos if and only if it is étale-finite. This exhibits an obstruction to extending our use of compact étale spaces beyond the étale-finite case.