On the consistency of $P=NP$ with fragments of ZFC whose own consistency strength can be measured by an ordinal assignment

Abstract

We formulate the $P<NP$ hypothesis in the case of the satisfiability problem as a $\Pi ^0_2$ sentence, out of which we can construct a partial recursive function $f_{\neg A}$ so that $f_{\neg A}$ is total if and only if $P < NP$. We then show that if $f_{\neg A}$ is total, then it isn't ${\cal T}$--provably total (where ${\cal T}$ is a fragment of ZFC that adequately extends PA and whose consistency is of ordinal order). Follows that the negation of $P < NP$, that is, $P = NP$, is consistent with those ${\cal T}$.